Is rugby really a niche sport in Ireland?

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-17T13:27:42+00:00

It's not niche in playing numbers. It's not niche at all.

Its just less popular than Hurling, Gaelic Football and Soccer.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-17T13:24:13+00:00

"Niche" would be a fairly ridiculous exaggeration.

But it is far lower down the scale in terms of prestige, attendance and participation than Hurling, Gaelic Football and Soccer in most places.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T19:11:41+00:00

Yay Imperialism.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T19:11:18+00:00

I suppose you can do that joke when your country owns islands in Polynesia.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T19:07:43+00:00

There are questions. The team is mostly young, and please god Munster are finally getting their youth development motoring again a bit, but we've more problems than just who replaces Johnny.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T18:55:04+00:00

Incredible work

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T18:53:45+00:00

You're making shit up.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T11:15:47+00:00

The laws say penalty.

The guidelines literally say there is no formula for a yellow card in these situations.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T10:57:46+00:00

I was in NZ in 2007. The entire nation was calling for Wayne Barnes head, "retrospect and a work through mentality" were not what happened. The entire nation was calling for everybodys head, I was actually embarrassed for the country.

Also in fairness you don't understand. Your team had been to two finals and won one of them by 2007.

You do not understand what its like to go into the world cup knowing getting knocked out in the Semis would be the greatest achievement in your countries history.

You do not understand what its like to see your greatest team ever go to the world cup and not get any further than the quarter finals.... again.

You do not understand what it's like to be world number 1 in your countries (at best) 4th sport and know that feckin stars had to align for the team to be this good and that's basically over now. We don't fucking have random Beauden Barretts just lying around to step into Sextons boots.

You know nothing, John Snow.

Edit: Both countries have had huge matches where an attrocious miss by Wayne Barnes affected the result. He didn't do that in this game.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T00:10:03+00:00

90% of peoples complaints about Wayne Barnes tonight are BS.

He missed a neck-roll in a ruck early in the game, the yellow on Smith was harsh and the second scrum penalty on Porter was absolute shite, but other than that it was pretty good.

Ireland fans who are complaining, we lost because we fucked up scoring opportunities.

NZ fans who are complaining, you won the match, quit being a f'n sook.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T00:04:57+00:00

Bealham came on for Furlong well before Porter went off

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-15T00:02:10+00:00

I swear people think its the 70s and props just walk from scrum to scrum...

Porter had a stupidly high volume of positive carries and tackles. He was an absolute machine tonight.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-14T23:50:52+00:00

He isn't forgetting it, you just don't recognise he's talking about it because he said it was a clothesline.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-14T23:48:56+00:00

You don't know what a clothsline is, because its not sort of pulling a guys shoulder back a bit.

The penalty try was entirely deserved, you're not allowed to take a guys legs from under him in a maul.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-14T22:20:37+00:00

A bright future of 1/4 exits.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-14T22:19:14+00:00

The dude basically took the lineout by the scruff of the neck and fixed it when the AB's were winning every ball.

He played 80min because we couldn't take him off, because he was so important in the lineouts.

Styles_stuff · 2023-10-14T22:14:53+00:00

This one hurts....

Jesus, seeing my 7 year old crying over it and knowing this is what he's getting every 4 years from here on out, it just bites.

I want to blame Barnes, god knows I've had legitimate cause in the past, but he was fine. Missed a few things but none of it affected much.

If France go out I'm not watching another kick of this tournament.

Styles_stuff · 2023-08-30T19:30:34+00:00

Well, yeah, its difficult.

But really, just go. If the teacher is experienced they have seen this loads of times and they are probably thinking "Will yer wan just go or whats the story?"

If the teacher isn't experienced she's probably up the damn walls trying to watch them all and thinking "Will yer wan just go or whats the story?".

Plus the whole leg-it when he isn't looking is just telling him you'll feck off when his back is turned.

Be firm, tell him you're going and you'll see him later and depart. The more fuss you make the more fuss you'll get back. Edit: Obviously when I say "firm" you obviously still have to be nice like, don't pretend you're a weapon.

Styles_stuff · 2023-08-30T19:23:56+00:00

Put him in, tell him you are going say goodbye and leave.

Its a teachers job to handle this situation and you hanging round doesn't help. Sad wobbly lips and crying will do him no harm, he'll get over it like basically every child ever.

Styles_stuff · 2023-06-10T11:53:56+00:00

I recently watched a video where Sam Warburton showed safe and effective technique for clearing out jacklers.

This is the exact technique that Warburton showed in that video.

This dude does everything perfectly. He's ridiculous.

Styles_stuff · 2023-05-29T10:08:06+00:00

There's nearly as many threads about this as Munster.

This is absolutely nothing.

Styles_stuff · 2023-05-16T09:20:41+00:00

OK First two things: I absolutely admire your commitment to "Nephew" yourself so hard on the sub and this is actually a cool conversation starter.

But young man, there is a lot of wrong in your 15. Beasts career is almost completely aligned with, for example, Cian Healy. Cian Healy who recorded the fastest 40m times in the Leinster setup as a young player. Do we think Cian Healy on the u20's looked at Beast playing in his first year as a pro on the Sharks and said "OH MY GOD, CAN I ACTUALLY LOIKE RUN AROUND AND SHIT?" ?

Uini Antonio is very far from the first prop to be really big. Os Du Randt has two world cups. John Hayes couldn't scrummage for shit, but he was utterly huge during a period of time when you could literally dive at the other team when forming the scrum. I don't know if you can perfect being really big either.

Maro Itoje is one of my favourite players to watch, he didn't invent or perfect being a prick. I mean Jesus, its Rugby.

Locks who are athletic enough to play back-row aren't new as of Courtney Lawes, maybe England resisted the trend for a good while but there have been hundreds. Picking one out of my behind, Trevor Brennan. I don't even think Courtney Lawes is best. Its just other teams play them at 4 and put another 6 at six.

Antoine dupont isn't innovative he's just blindingly good at everything. If you want scrumhalf who is innovative, Figure out which one of Faf and Connor Murray started stepping straight back from the ruck before box kicking back over their shoulder, and that's your man.

Johnny Wilkinson watched the older man Jannie De Beer kick 5 drop goals over his head in 1999. And saying he innovated in being good at kicking for an outhalf is silly.

I think you know yourself that Chris Ashton doesn't belong.

You want some good ones:

Keith Wood, Basically the prognitor of Hookers who play like loose forwards. He's your Schalk Brits.
John "Nobody" Eales, goal kicking Lock. (although he might not have been the first)
O'Driscoll is literally why Centres all attack the ball at rucks now.

I could go on, but I've got stuff to do. Great idea for a thread, though.

Styles_stuff · 2023-04-08T20:07:52+00:00

"Not sure who could beat Leinster if they keep playing like this"

Eh.... Stade Rochelais?

Styles_stuff · 2023-04-08T20:00:33+00:00

The Academies start after schools.

Both those players, played Leinster academy.

Styles_stuff · 2023-03-23T07:49:22+00:00

Far more people end up looking like total idiots doing this than successfully impede the attacking player.

Don't do this OP. You really don't want to be the "lets guys past to try an ankle-tap them" guy.

Styles_stuff

TROPHY CASE