Rugby will become Ireland's No.1 Sport

[Valencia]

With Ireland's dismal decline in soccer now more apparent than ever. I am beginning to feel that it is possible that Rugby will become Ireland's No.1 sport, eventually surpassing Gaelic games. If the success of the Irish provinces can be channeled into the National squad, our sport is poised to capture the hearts & minds of the population. I base this conclusion on a number of factors. 1. Even members of my own family who never had a bit of interest in Rugby now regularly watch games, albeit on the Tv. The thousands of kids who are turning up to training ever week, even in regions that have no major tradition of rugby. I personally have never seen so many youngsters play & it's fantastic.
The preference of GAA people such as for example young Sweetnam signing to play pro-rugby instead of senior county hurling in a GAA mad county.
It'll take some time, perhaps another 10 to 15 years, but it's coming.
Like the Kiwis (although we may never love it as much as them our the Welsh) Rugby suits our psyche.

Soccer is largely finished in Ireland at the top levels, not due to lack of talent but mainly down to an 'organisation' who choose to pay their CEO a quarter of a million a year, when their national league considers 300 to be a good crowd. I take little joy in it's decline as I grew up on soccer.

There will come a coach who gets the absolute best out of the young, talented rugby players on this island, who will succeed internationally. When that happens then Rugby will be our game for good.

[bobbin]

With Ireland's dismal decline in soccer now more apparent than ever. I am beginning to feel that it is possible that Rugby will become Ireland's No.1 sport, eventually surpassing Gaelic games. If the success of the Irish provinces can be channeled into the National squad, our sport is poised to capture the hearts & minds of the population. I base this conclusion on a number of factors. 1. Even members of my own family who never had a bit of interest in Rugby now regularly watch games, albeit on the Tv. The thousands of kids who are turning up to training ever week, even in regions that have no major tradition of rugby. I personally have never seen so many youngsters play & it's fantastic.
The preference of GAA people such as for example young Sweetnam signing to play pro-rugby instead of senior county hurling in a GAA mad county.
It'll take some time, perhaps another 10 to 15 years, but it's coming.
Like the Kiwis (although we may never love it as much as them our the Welsh) Rugby suits our psyche.

Soccer is largely finished in Ireland at the top levels, not due to lack of talent but mainly down to an 'organisation' who choose to pay their CEO a quarter of a million a year, when their national league considers 300 to be a good crowd. I take little joy in it's decline as I grew up on soccer.

There will come a coach who gets the absolute best out of the young, talented rugby players on this island, who will succeed internationally. When that happens then Rugby will be our game for good.

Not in our lifetime I'd suspect. Will continue to grow in popularity but a few years of poor results combined with an upturn in other sports fortunes will put a dent in it. Soccer still so easy to get involved in for anyone, literally ball and jumpers for goalposts etc!

[Dumptruck]

The GAA will always hold sway and Soccer will always always be next, simply by the fact that soccer - rightly or wrongly is still practised as a less exclusive game - with more clubs.

For example, where I am from. you have, Star Rovers, Abbey Rovers, Athlunkard Villa, Abbey, Corbally United. Go towards the Monument and you have Geraldines, Fairview, Granville, Pike, Hill Celtic, Janesboro, Cals, Hyde, Summerville, Weston Villa,Kennedy Park,... that's all within a very small radius.

Rugby doesn't have anywhere near that number of clubs.

[Valencia]

Agree that a kick around is fun & easy to organise, but kids look up to and want emulate their heroes. These will more and more be rugby heroes. I honestly believe we are going to turn out some cracking players from this island. The sporting rugby heroes we already have are approachable and visible on our streets of our villages & towns. Not some multi-millionaire wide boys who play for the cash. Look at Julian Brugnaut's interview on this site, these young lads want to get to wear that jersey. It's been a long time coming, but it is coming

[The Outlaw]

With Ireland's dismal decline in soccer now more apparent than ever. I am beginning to feel that it is possible that Rugby will become Ireland's No.1 sport, eventually surpassing Gaelic games. If the success of the Irish provinces can be channeled into the National squad, our sport is poised to capture the hearts & minds of the population. I base this conclusion on a number of factors. 1. Even members of my own family who never had a bit of interest in Rugby now regularly watch games, albeit on the Tv. The thousands of kids who are turning up to training ever week, even in regions that have no major tradition of rugby. I personally have never seen so many youngsters play & it's fantastic.
The preference of GAA people such as for example young Sweetnam signing to play pro-rugby instead of senior county hurling in a GAA mad county.
It'll take some time, perhaps another 10 to 15 years, but it's coming.
Like the Kiwis (although we may never love it as much as them our the Welsh) Rugby suits our psyche.

Soccer is largely finished in Ireland at the top levels, not due to lack of talent but mainly down to an 'organisation' who choose to pay their CEO a quarter of a million a year, when their national league considers 300 to be a good crowd. I take little joy in it's decline as I grew up on soccer.

There will come a coach who gets the absolute best out of the young, talented rugby players on this island, who will succeed internationally. When that happens then Rugby will be our game for good.

Not a snowballs mate in my view. The amount of parents I know that wont let their kids go near a rugby field is extraordinary. Its an inherently dangerous sport at a high level and recreationally has little impact in vast tracts of the country.
Soccer was still popular when the irish team were crap. The irish are married to the premiership not the national team. That will continue regardless.
The GAA is in every parish in Ireland. Hard to beat that.

[Valencia]

The GAA will always hold sway and Soccer will always always be next, simply by the fact that soccer - rightly or wrongly is still practised as a less exclusive game - with more clubs.

For example, where I am from. you have, Star Rovers, Abbey Rovers, Athlunkard Villa, Abbey, Corbally United. Go towards the Monument and you have Geraldines, Fairview, Granville, Pike, Hill Celtic, Janesboro, Cals, Hyde, Summerville, Weston Villa,Kennedy Park,... that's all within a very small radius.

Rugby doesn't have anywhere near that number of clubs.

It doesn't, up my way it was Prospect, Cals & Hyde Rangers ( 2 of whom I played for) yet some of these lads are still beside me in Thomond Pk. The same young lads playing with Star (always cheeky little bollixes :-) will be in Thomond too. Like I said it'll be a few years more but Rugby will be Top. The elitist label is been discarded & rugby is all the better for it

[Viigand]

GAA will always be top dog, where I live there is no local rugby club, very little interest in it apart from big games like a Heineken final or Ireland vs England in the six nations. Nowhere for kids to start playing unless you go to one of the bigger towns nearby.

[munsterforever]

the english premiership is irelands biggest sport and that wont change

[Dumptruck]

It doesn't, up my way it was Prospect, Cals & Hyde Rangers ( 2 of whom I played for) yet some of these lads are still beside me in Thomond Pk. The same young lads playing with Star (always cheeky little bollixes :-) will be in Thomond too. Like I said it'll be a few years more but Rugby will be Top. The elitist label is been discarded & rugby is all the better for it

Oh christ. Only one thing for it.

http://www.nuttymp3.com/mp3/155760

[Valencia]

GAA will always be top dog, where I live there is no local rugby club, very little interest in it apart from big games like a Heineken final or Ireland vs England in the six nations. Nowhere for kids to start playing unless you go to one of the bigger towns nearby.

But the GAA can never increase from what it, part of the fabric yes, but it is insular & limited to what it is, there's no growth. Soccer on this island is ****ed! The potential is with Rugby. I'm not even drinking saying this (I'm in work)

[The Last Stand]

Gaa football is a terrible game.

[Valencia]

the english premiership is irelands biggest sport and that wont change

I think it will. I think what I've said is being misunderstood. I'm referring to popularity, not in numbers playing the game. I've always liked rugby but played very little as I was ****, played soccer & GAA which I was good at. My youngfella now plays Rugby, his friends play rugby. It due to it's physical demands will never be the most played but it can & I do believe will in due course be the most popular

[JoeyFantastic]

I'm really curious to see what crowds Limerick FC get when they move back to the Markets Field in the Premier division. Sligo Rovers have sold 5,000 tickets for tomorrows league decider, was told during the week they now average 3,000 per game, up from 1,000 a few years back.

Rugby will never be the top sport, but hopefully it will continue to bring talented athletes like TOL and now Sweetnam in ahead of other sports.

[The Outlaw]

I think it will. I think what I've said is being misunderstood. I'm referring to popularity, not in numbers playing the game. I've always liked rugby but played very little as I was ****, played soccer & GAA which I was good at. My youngfella now plays Rugby, his friends play rugby. It due to it's physical demands will never be the most played but it can & I do believe will in due course be the most popular

Fair play mate. But a huge tract of the capital city of ireland doesnt play it and has no interest either in it. Back home in the West where I'm from there is one rugby club and 6 GAA clubs in a 10 mile radius. And 4 soccer teams.

You need nothing to setup a soccer team. Its a game for the masses where you dont need a braincell to play it. The premiership is the biggest sport in the world and will remain so. We all know the GAA cant expnd but rugby has 4 teams in Ireland. Many of the provincial followers are bandwagoners who wouldnt know the working end of a rugby ball if it hit them in the end.

HEC days are good piss-up days. they have little impact on people getting involved in their local rugby club. Most would need a compass to find it Its also still very elitist in parts of the country in my view.

[Dumptruck]

I think it will. I think what I've said is being misunderstood. I'm referring to popularity, not in numbers playing the game. I've always liked rugby but played very little as I was ****, played soccer & GAA which I was good at. My youngfella now plays Rugby, his friends play rugby. It due to it's physical demands will never be the most played but it can & I do believe will in due course be the most popular

Maybe, but we won't see it. Now.. I am putting together a line up for a reunion gig in town soon, I wonder would anyone that played in the pery be up for it :-)

[Dumptruck]

I'm really curious to see what crowds Limerick FC get when they move back to the Markets Field in the Premier division. Sligo Rovers have sold 5,000 tickets for tomorrows league decider, was told during the week they now average 3,000 per game, up from 1,000 a few years back.

Rugby will never be the top sport, but hopefully it will continue to bring talented athletes like TOL and now Sweetnam in ahead of other sports.

I am advised that Limerick may well have to play 3-4 home games in Thomond Park next year if Markets field is not ready, that would put a dent in the coffers.

[Valencia]

Maybe, but we won't see it. Now.. I am putting together a line up for a reunion gig in town soon, I wonder would anyone that played in the pery be up for it :-)

Ha! That's some Avatar DT

[Dumptruck]

Ha! That's some Avatar DT

It is. I had a copy once, singer from the band said he'd give me a signed copy , never materialised though.

[Valencia]

It is. I had a copy once, singer from the band said he'd give me a signed copy , never materialised though.

Ah don't mind him, that fella's a well known nut job, actually believes rugby's gonna be Ireland's top sport

DT you're hijacking the discussion

[busby]

I can see it becoming Irelands number 1 spectator sport, primarily due to the gapping absense of any domestic pro sports format in the country.

But i find it very hard to see it becoming Ireland number 1 participatory sport. For all the progress the sport has made in this country, the majority of players come through schools rugby. Outside of Limerick, these schools only take people from a narrow enough part of society.

Also, who knows how pro rugby will develop over the next 20 years or so. A better and better calibre of player is heading to Japan the entire time for example, who knows how things could go there. Irish rugby is living a pretty charmed existence and has done so for over a decade. With with talks about the revamping of the European Cup, the luxury of having 4 strong domestic provincial sides keeping the best Irish players at home may not always last.

Also, i wouldn't be basing anything on the Sweetnam decision. He is a guy from a rugby and hockey family in West Cork who went to a rugby and hockey school in Bandon Grammer. Him picking rugby is no indication of rugby getting one over GAA or any seismic change in the sporting landscape.

[No. 16]

It would be the beginning of a dismal era if rugby ever became the choice sport of the populace. I shudder at the company I'd be forced to endure.

[bobbin]

I live and work in Southside Dublin for my sins. And even here id say soccer and GAA hold sway

[Brenny]

I can see it becoming Irelands number 1 spectator sport, primarily due to the gapping absense of any domestic pro sports format in the country.

But i find it very hard to see it becoming Ireland number 1 participatory sport. For all the progress the sport has made in this country, the majority of players come through schools rugby. Outside of Limerick, these schools only take people from a narrow enough part of society.

Also, who knows how pro rugby will develop over the next 20 years or so. A better and better calibre of player is heading to Japan the entire time for example, who knows how things could go there. Irish rugby is living a pretty charmed existence and has done so for over a decade. With with talks about the revamping of the European Cup, the luxury of having 4 strong domestic provincial sides keeping the best Irish players at home may not always last.

Also, i wouldn't be basing anything on the Sweetnam decision. He is a guy from a rugby and hockey family in West Cork who went to a rugby and hockey school in Bandon Grammer. Him picking rugby is no indication of rugby getting one over GAA or any seismic change in the sporting landscape.

I don't think it'll ever become the most popular played sport. You can't play rugby on the street with a tin can but you can with soccer. When I was young I played more soccer than rugby, mainly in the way of five a side games and so forth. Soccer is probably the most played sport in America but it's way down the list in terms of viewing figures. Rugby has potential to overtake soccer as the most watched domestic professional sport.

That being said though...........whenever I travel down to West Waterford to meet the in-laws I always get abuse for wearing my Munster jacket. Went on my brother-in-laws stag party and my Munster jersey was the main topic of conversation on the bus. I eventually had to take it off when we went into the pub. Travel up through the midlands and the border counties and rugby just ain't hot at all. Whenever the Off the Ball lads on Newstalk discuss rugby for more than 20mins there's always some text sent into them telling them to talk about something else. There's real hostility to it out there still.

[outside inside]

Very interesting assertion Valencia with rugby being a pro sport for just 17 years hard to know how big it can grow . There has been real growth at underage levels . Last stats i saw Munster club underage players was 64,000 that is non schools .This matched Leinster even though they have a bigger population and was a lot more than Ulster . Both those provinces have the majority of their players playing at schools. Think that it shows in roads have been made into areas where rugby was never strong .For me still not enough schools playing the sport . However who could have forseen the growth since the game went pro .

[Valencia]

I'm down here pitch side this morning at least 150 kids here between 10-12 today. It really gladdens the heart to see how far the game has come along

[bobbin]

I'm down here pitch side this morning at least 150 kids here between 10-12 today. It really gladdens the heart to see how far the game has come along

Great to hear. Same in my home club in a predominantly GAA area. It's outside of traditional areas the game will need to continue to grow if your to be proved right.

Out of interest. Does your club get good support for developing those kids from the MB?

[highlander]

valencia, Your prophecy that There will come a coach who gets the absolute best out of the young, talented rugby players on this island, who will succeed internationally. When that happens then Rugby will be our game for good is laughable.

The success of the Irish provinces is totally overrated by Irish rugby supporters and rugby media. The Irish international rugby team is average because the players are average. The provincial system gives irish provinces an advantage in the H cup. Many Irish rugby supporters prefer following their provinces because the provinces are big fish in a small pond. Irish rugby players are found out at int level and cannot make the step up from H cup level to International level (i.e. the southern hemisphere 4, wales, france and england). Only O’Brien, Healy and O’Connell are rated in New Zealand.
You talk about “capturing the hearts and minds of the population”. FFS we’ll jump on any bandwagon going. There is a huge element of bandwagonry involved in rugby in ireland. If the provinces start losing the ass will fall out of irish rugby.

“Rugby suits our psyche”. What the hell does that even mean?????

Where did you get the idea that the national league considers 300 to be a good crowd for a soccer game? I’ve never heard any official say that.

George hook often highlights spectator numbers as proof of the growth of irish rugby. It is a really flawed argument. Munster may well have been able to fill the millenium stadium twice in the h cup final versus biarritz (most of whom never entered a club grounds) and the cork ladies footballers may get <10,000 supporters for an all ireland final. There are 71 ladies football clubs in cork (no one ever talks about that expansion/growth). How many rugby clubs are in cork? The grassroots in rugby are not as strong as people suggest. You can offer anecdotes about young rugby playing numbers. Here is my anecdote.
A friend of mine is involved in underage rugby in a senior rugby club in cork. He is also involved with south munster (even though he never played rugby union he was co-opted onto a committee because no-one else in the club would do it). He says 1) player numbers increase when hurling finishes in the town but those same players disappear when hurling starts again in the spring. 2) volunteerism is dead in rugby. Cannot get volunteers at club level. The GAA are light years ahead. 3) when they try to fundraise, the most common response they get from the public is “rugby is paying an awful lot of money to professional players why isn’t that invested in grassroots?”. 4) the branch have cut the number of development coaches

If the grassroots are not stronger rugby will never compete with top rugby nations.

Here is my prophecy, perhaps in another 10 to 15 years time the concussion time bomb that has hit the NFL will arrive in rugby. We’ll see how many parents are taking their kids to rugby then.

[ormond lad]

Rugby will never become number 1 sport when for the mostpart the top players come from a narrow base and the full base of players is not looked at.
We had a chance the past decade to really drive the sport to new levels and didnt do enough work.
Only in cork, dublin, belfast and 1 or 2 other clubs do any clubs go beyond 3 adult sides while the vast majority of GAA clubs throughout the country have at least 3 adult sides.
While all sports lose out on players in the 17-21 age group we lose a ridiculous number due to the big numbers who only play in a school from the age of 12-18 and dont have a connection to a club in that period so in many cases dont have a club to go to when they leave school.
highlander yes volunteerism in the GAA is very strong in many ways but rugby is as good as the GAA in many ways.
Yes Munster has cut the number of development coaches but that was always going to happen in the economic climate.
outside i dont know where you got 64000 but that figure is wrong. the last IRFU annual report available(10/11 season) said there was about 28400 u18s registered to play rugby in munster between mini rugby, youths rugby in the clubs,rugby in the traditional schools and rugby development programmes in other schools.

[Valencia]

valencia, Your prophecy that There will come a coach who gets the absolute best out of the young, talented rugby players on this island, who will succeed internationally. When that happens then Rugby will be our game for good is laughable.

The success of the Irish provinces is totally overrated by Irish rugby supporters and rugby media. The Irish international rugby team is average because the players are average. The provincial system gives irish provinces an advantage in the H cup. Many Irish rugby supporters prefer following their provinces because the provinces are big fish in a small pond. Irish rugby players are found out at int level and cannot make the step up from H cup level to International level (i.e. the southern hemisphere 4, wales, france and england). Only O’Brien, Healy and O’Connell are rated in New Zealand.
You talk about “capturing the hearts and minds of the population”. FFS we’ll jump on any bandwagon going. There is a huge element of bandwagonry involved in rugby in ireland. If the provinces start losing the ass will fall out of irish rugby.

“Rugby suits our psyche”. What the hell does that even mean?????

Where did you get the idea that the national league considers 300 to be a good crowd for a soccer game? I’ve never heard any official say that.

George hook often highlights spectator numbers as proof of the growth of irish rugby. It is a really flawed argument. Munster may well have been able to fill the millenium stadium twice in the h cup final versus biarritz (most of whom never entered a club grounds) and the cork ladies footballers may get <10,000 supporters for an all ireland final. There are 71 ladies football clubs in cork (no one ever talks about that expansion/growth). How many rugby clubs are in cork? The grassroots in rugby are not as strong as people suggest. You can offer anecdotes about young rugby playing numbers. Here is my anecdote.
A friend of mine is involved in underage rugby in a senior rugby club in cork. He is also involved with south munster (even though he never played rugby union he was co-opted onto a committee because no-one else in the club would do it). He says 1) player numbers increase when hurling finishes in the town but those same players disappear when hurling starts again in the spring. 2) volunteerism is dead in rugby. Cannot get volunteers at club level. The GAA are light years ahead. 3) when they try to fundraise, the most common response they get from the public is “rugby is paying an awful lot of money to professional players why isn’t that invested in grassroots?”. 4) the branch have cut the number of development coaches

If the grassroots are not stronger rugby will never compete with top rugby nations.

Here is my prophecy, perhaps in another 10 to 15 years time the concussion time bomb that has hit the NFL will arrive in rugby. We’ll see how many parents are taking their kids to rugby then.

GAA boy, it is possible to post without the BOLD text.

[dropkick]

The interest in rugby has exploded since it went professional. Thats mainly because of the success of the provinces. Will the provinces continue to be successful? Maybe not as successful but with the better quality of players the academies are starting to produce, the future looks very healthy. In the next world cup Ireland will travel with its strongest squad ever.

Not a snowballs mate in my view. The amount of parents I know that wont let their kids go near a rugby field is extraordinary. Its an inherently dangerous sport at a high level and recreationally has little impact in vast tracts of the country.
Soccer was still popular when the irish team were crap. The irish are married to the premiership not the national team. That will continue regardless.
The GAA is in every parish in Ireland. Hard to beat that.

Because its in the news, hyped up etc. Theres little interest in league of Ireland soccer and little pro sport in general in Ireland so theres a market for rugby and I believe it'll continue to expand.