I reckon professional/elite sport is the enemy of grassroots sport.
The stuff about inspiring people to take up sport is, beyond a couple of weeks window, nonsense.
Folk out playing rugby doesn’t pay for the professionals. Spectators, TV rights and advertising does.
I can remember when rugby went professional. I was running the third team at my local club and we went from being able to get four teams plus a vets team out week in week out, to struggling to get three teams total out.
Thirty plus players just disappeared. They were still in the area, but they were watching not playing.
We can’t ban professional sport, but it might be better if we could.
PS - I’m in my 50s now and carrying 25 years of rugby injuries, so I’m allowed to be a rugby spectator. And grumpy.
Rugby in the UK is in a weird place really. It seems to think that it's bigger than it actually is. There's a limited fan base for it, which we be further eroded by pay walling it. Take my club Sale Sharks, I've not been for a few seasons, but it was over £40 per ticket last season I think. The whole match day experience there is diabolical, awful food, awful beer, awful service and awful traveling to the ground. I just don't bother these days.
I'd be gutted if the 6 Nations went as it's genuinely something that I look forward to watching every year. Like other things that I used to follow though such as F1, Cricket and even the DH MTB.....I'm not paying as don't watch religiously, and you soon move on.
I reckon professional/elite sport is the enemy of grassroots sport.
I would agree, there used to be much more support from the national associations but money has become more important than interest in encouraging the amateur scene. It been like this for decades in the competitive sailing world in my experience for example, particularly dingy sailing.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cqld7vzln1ko
Second time done for gouging and gets 3 weeks Joke ban from joke league,how the video ref avoided seeing it on the night is beyond me.
Can perennial losers Wals upset the odds today? Wales not helped by losing Lam Williams and Dafydd Jenkins before kick off. Useless NZ midget to play 15 is a worry he was like the opposite of 1/2p v SA, if there was a right position to be in v SA he wasn't in it.
Wales imploding
Wales' attack is non-existent....they'd be better off without the No 10
Can I ask a serious question from someone who never watches rugby, but happens to be in the pub when it’s on….
Why do Rugby refs have crap whistles that don’t actually whistle properly?
It’s not all bad for Wales. Still in contention for the Triple Crown. 😀
This is like the AI version of France where the bot accidentally put their feet on the end of their arms.
- How did France lose that. Kudos to England for hanging in there
That’s some win for the World Beaters. Good result for Ireland too.
- How did France lose that. Kudos to England for hanging in there
Is it working now?
Anyway not seen the game but well done England
Other good news
Warren Gatland has vowed to carry on as Wales head coach
I'd love to know who you think will do a better job, given the chaos in the Welsh domestic game? In other words, how does changing the coach help?
Feels to me like Wales didn’t bring any young players through when they were one of the top sides. NZ stay so good because they blood promising young players early so they’re ready to step up. It also doesn’t help that the WRU and the Welsh domestic game is really struggling. It’ll be a while before they get back.
In other words, how does changing the coach help?
Some semblance of an attacking strategy built around the players, not picking people seemingly at random. Today when Tompkins went off for a hia we had a 9, two 12's and 4 wingers as a backline. Thomas is clearly not a ten, he was beyond awful but the only ten in the squad has 1 cap and is 21 (or maybe 22).
Harsh on the captive Saffa that
Scotland getting a lesson on forward control here 😕
Fun game this.
Scotland did well to fight back but before that were lucky to be second. Great try though by VDM
Deserved yellow for VdM.
Prendergast looks good for the future.
Hope Darcy Graham makes a full recovery. Typical Irish control especially at the breakdown meant Scotland really struggled to get into the game. Losing Finn so early didn't help but the Irish ability to select the right choice to either attack the breakdown or not commit people to it is the reason they are so dominant.
Deserved yellow for VdM.
Prendergast looks good for the future.
Thought the yellow was harsh, pen yes but yellow...not sure
Prendergast was brilliant, although he had an armchair ride from the Irish pack.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/rugby-union/articles/cpwrj451k95o
So long and thanks for all the Grand Slams
It's a shame it didn't work out for Gats this time, but he came back in to a broken Welsh rugby system and was on a hiding to nowhere from the start.
I don't know what the answer is but something has to be done to get it back on track. The system works in Ireland but just lurches from one problem to another in Wales.
The system works in Ireland but just lurches from one problem to another i Wales.
The difference is quite a large number of millions in budget in the much more populous and affluent place
Well at least we've got a nice hotel in Caerdydd for all those punters who want to spend even more to watch us lose by 40
Well at least we've got a nice hotel in Caerdydd for all those punters who want to spend even more to watch us lose by 40
Well at least we've got a nice hotel in Caerdydd for all those punters who want to spend even more to watch us lose by 40
Firmly behind the sofa and won't be coming out!!
Well this is a bit more competitive than everyone was expecting
Much improved look like a team again, Ireland just had better players
So the ball just has to be near the ground for it to count as an England score?
So the ball just has to be near the ground for it to count as an England score?
I think Marcus Smith isn't a good enough tackler to play 15.
I think Marcus Smith isn't a good enough tackler to play 15.
Too many visits to the 22 for so few points for Scotland. Going to cost them in the end.
I dunno, England aren’t showing much.
Well, I'll be very happy to be proved wrong 🙂
So the ball just has to be near the ground for it to count as an England score?
Referee was right on top, called it immediately and didn't feel need to refer. Sometimes eyes 2m away are better than fixed camera angles. I thought rugby was supposed to be supportive of the officials - or is that only when they rule against England?
Referee was right on top, called it immediately and didn't feel need to refer. Sometimes eyes 2m away are better than fixed camera angles. I thought rugby was supposed to be supportive of the officials - or is that only when they rule against England?
Weird, normally you'd expect 300 replays but the director didn't feel the need to show us any replays at all (or at least I only saw one that pretty categorically showed the ball held up).
It's almost like they don't want to draw any attention to that particular score.
Can any of you rugby experts tell me why England keep kicking the ball back to the opposition?
Well, to me I agree the camera angles showed the ball in the air but only a moment or so after it hadn't been able to show it grounded - different to showing it not being grounded.
But it didn't need to, because the ref had seen it with his own eyes already to the satisfaction of being able to not need a replay.
If he hadn't seen it, then I agree it wouldn't have been given on that evidence. But he did, so he gave it, and that should be respected. No?
