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The fact is the number of adults playing rugby in Ireland has been dropping for years and continues to fall. The big clubs that used to field 6 or 7 adult teams now struggle to get 3 out. Cockney_Cat (UK) - Posts: 1115 - 24/05/2020 22:55:20 2279156 Link 2 |
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Ballaghdereen have an underage club. GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 5955 - 24/05/2020 23:20:25 2279157 Link 7 |
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Rugby was always big in ballina. Westport I think used to be strong but GAA has overtaken Westport in recent years (was historically known as a soccer town) which is great for Mayo.
yew_tree (Mayo) - Posts: 10339 - 25/05/2020 08:40:09 2279162 Link 7 |
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You can know something is a fact without having precise details, I know I weigh more now than I did on my 5th and 10th birthday despite not knowing my precise weight then. But here are some quotes for you anyway Bernard Jackman - clubs who used to have third 'Cs', 'D's, are now only fielding three teams - literally, adult numbers are dropping. Declan Fanning, St Mary's RFC president - the clubs, are struggling badly. The playing base, there was a time we were fielding 11 or 12 adult sides. From U19s, first team down to a J8 and J9. Now we're struggling to put out six sides - and we'd be one of the few clubs in Leinster fielding six senior sides. It's a huge diminution of player base Gerry Thornley interview with Lansdowne president - Thirty-five-year-old props are very, very rare nowadays. And it's a struggle getting the J2s and J3s out," admits Mulligan whereas, in the mid-80s, come the end of the season when cups were on the line, Lansdowne would have fielded around ten teams Some rugby journalist tends to do a piece on falling adult rugby numbers in Ireland every month, I'm surprised it comes as news to anyone on here. If I'd said rugby is very strong in Sligo and hurling is dead there I doubt anyone here would have argued with me, yet there are far more adult hurlers in Sligo than adult rugby players. Soma (UK) - Posts: 2484 - 25/05/2020 09:29:13 2279166 Link 2 |
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4 clubs in Wexford 30 year ago , New ross, Gorey Enniscorty and Wexford town. 3 clubs in Waterford, Waterpark ,Waterford city club and Dungarvin. 1 club in Kilkenny City , 2 clubs in Carlow . So no new club in the south east in the last 30 years to the best of my knowledge.
jfk21 (Dublin) - Posts: 51 - 25/05/2020 09:41:15 2279168 Link 1 |
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Hard to know really, the IRFU doesn't have any stats on playing numbers growth bar their aim to have 210K adult players by 2023 but then again their aim was also to reach a work cup semi final in 2019. The Leinster counties may not be the best example either as youth rugby is dominated by schools rugby which a lot of people believe is damaging to club rugby in Leinster, imagine been told by a secondary school that your underage players wouldn't be allowed play club hurling or football because they were needed for schools! I don't know the ins and outs of other areas outside of the ones you mentioned but my personal experiences with dealing with parents who did not grow up with the sport means that there is a reluctance to allow their kids to play or play beyond minis. Its much the same as I have seen with Hurling. Its hard to get in and keep kids unless both parents are 100% behind it. zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 982 - 25/05/2020 10:19:23 2279169 Link 1 |
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Tramore are a new club set up in 2010s. Norman's rugby club set up in kilkenny in 2010. That's two clubs set up off top of my head KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 25/05/2020 10:39:45 2279170 Link 1 |
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Hard to know really, the IRFU doesn't have any stats on playing numbers growth bar their aim to have 210K adult players by 2023 but then again their aim was also to reach a work cup semi final in 2019. The Leinster counties may not be the best example either as youth rugby is dominated by schools rugby which a lot of people believe is damaging to club rugby in Leinster, imagine been told by a secondary school that your underage players wouldn't be allowed play club hurling or football because they were needed for schools! I don't know the ins and outs of other areas outside of the ones you mentioned but my personal experiences with dealing with parents who did not grow up with the sport means that there is a reluctance to allow their kids to play or play beyond minis. Its much the same as I have seen with Hurling. Its hard to get in and keep kids unless both parents are 100% behind it."]Irfu have stats on playing numbers every year in their annual reports. Leinster youths rugby is very strong with the clubs all fielding many sides. The provincial clubs all fielding youths rugby sides from 13s to 18.5s. The schools train and play so much at the top levels that it's better the kids aren't also playing a lot with clubs. The kids in the big rugby schools train 3 times a week with a game a week and older age groups also doing 2/3 s&c sessions in school. KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 25/05/2020 10:43:09 2279171 Link 2 |
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I think there has been good strides made in Munster outside of the traditional rugby areas of Limerick and Cork Cities. The likes of West Cork and Waterford seem to be producing good players. However Clare outside of the hinterland around Limerick City has very few Clubs. Scarriff ,Kilrush ,St Senans in Shannon are all poor enough. The likes of Clanwilliam,Kilfeacle and Cashil in Tipperary are doing ok but again no new players. bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1323 - 25/05/2020 11:10:17 2279172 Link 3 |
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The Gaa doesnt pull from the same pool of players as rugby in Cork city or Limerick city really. Dalys article a few weeks ago about hurling keeping prospects who had a chance in rugby is total fantasy. Any kid that's good enough to play top level rugby and hurling goes the way of the professional sport. I cant name one that said I ll stick to the hurling, Keep the spot in the academy open . The problem in Limerick City ,Ennis Gaa too is that theres no competition for Na Piarsaigh inthe city senior championship and Eire Og in Ennis is totally dominant even though they are a poor poor Gaa club. Results wise bloodyban (Limerick) - Posts: 1323 - 25/05/2020 11:26:17 2279173 Link 3 |
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One reason the big clubs are fielding way less teams is that players don't need to leave small town clubs to get meaningful competition anymore. There was a time when a big club would have more opportunities for the 3rds and so on than a smaller club for the 1st team but the AIL has stopped the monopoly of the big clubs somewhat. Rugby is still a small sport playing wise. From the outside rugby looks huge in Ireland because of all the 6 nation's fans but it's still far behind in actual participation at senior level. Where you do see alot more interest though is at underage and casual rugby like tag and stuff Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 25/05/2020 13:10:59 2279175 Link 2 |
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Huge numbers in Clare play for clubs in limerick. And you didnt mention ennis who have one of strongest age grade set ups in province. And Munster cant and wont be taking from south African schools. They signed two. One who returned very quickly. KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 25/05/2020 15:17:31 2279178 Link 1 |
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One reason the big clubs are fielding way less teams is that players don't need to leave small town clubs to get meaningful competition anymore. There was a time when a big club would have more opportunities for the 3rds and so on than a smaller club for the 1st team but the AIL has stopped the monopoly of the big clubs somewhat. Rugby is still a small sport playing wise. From the outside rugby looks huge in Ireland because of all the 6 nation's fans but it's still far behind in actual participation at senior level. Where you do see alot more interest though is at underage and casual rugby like tag and stuff"]You are right, that is one of the reasons but the main reason is just that fewer adults are playing the game. It's not unique to Ireland, it's the same in most rugby countries. Scotland are down to about 5000 adult rugby players, Wales have seen huge falls and even New Zealand. I saw Shannon play an AIL game at my local club this season, one of their supporters told me nobody in the squad was over the age of 25 as they just drift away from the sport. The talk about big growth in rugby began around the time of O'Driscoll coming on the scene and Munster getting to European finals but that was 20 years ago. All the new players who started then should be filling adult teams now but they are not, fewer adults are playing now than 20 years ago. Soma (UK) - Posts: 2484 - 25/05/2020 20:39:40 2279188 Link 1 |
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Let's not kid ourselves. The people's game is thriving. Rolo2010 (Donegal) - Posts: 193 - 25/05/2020 21:31:26 2279189 Link 1 |
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One reason the big clubs are fielding way less teams is that players don't need to leave small town clubs to get meaningful competition anymore. There was a time when a big club would have more opportunities for the 3rds and so on than a smaller club for the 1st team but the AIL has stopped the monopoly of the big clubs somewhat. Rugby is still a small sport playing wise. From the outside rugby looks huge in Ireland because of all the 6 nation's fans but it's still far behind in actual participation at senior level. Where you do see alot more interest though is at underage and casual rugby like tag and stuff"]You are right, that is one of the reasons but the main reason is just that fewer adults are playing the game. It's not unique to Ireland, it's the same in most rugby countries. Scotland are down to about 5000 adult rugby players, Wales have seen huge falls and even New Zealand. I saw Shannon play an AIL game at my local club this season, one of their supporters told me nobody in the squad was over the age of 25 as they just drift away from the sport. The talk about big growth in rugby began around the time of O'Driscoll coming on the scene and Munster getting to European finals but that was 20 years ago. All the new players who started then should be filling adult teams now but they are not, fewer adults are playing now than 20 years ago."]I wonder of maybe it has something to do with kids and young adults giving up when the realise the pro contract will never happen. I knew quite a few underage club coaches back in those Munster golden days who had kids and a lot of parents too who saw clubs as nothing but feeder teams and steeping stones for Munster because for many of these new rugby fans there was no connection to clubs and the passion and dream was all about the teams they saw on TV Breezy (Limerick) - Posts: 1106 - 25/05/2020 22:07:07 2279190 Link 1 |
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One reason the big clubs are fielding way less teams is that players don't need to leave small town clubs to get meaningful competition anymore. There was a time when a big club would have more opportunities for the 3rds and so on than a smaller club for the 1st team but the AIL has stopped the monopoly of the big clubs somewhat. Rugby is still a small sport playing wise. From the outside rugby looks huge in Ireland because of all the 6 nation's fans but it's still far behind in actual participation at senior level. Where you do see alot more interest though is at underage and casual rugby like tag and stuff"]You are right, that is one of the reasons but the main reason is just that fewer adults are playing the game. It's not unique to Ireland, it's the same in most rugby countries. Scotland are down to about 5000 adult rugby players, Wales have seen huge falls and even New Zealand. I saw Shannon play an AIL game at my local club this season, one of their supporters told me nobody in the squad was over the age of 25 as they just drift away from the sport. The talk about big growth in rugby began around the time of O'Driscoll coming on the scene and Munster getting to European finals but that was 20 years ago. All the new players who started then should be filling adult teams now but they are not, fewer adults are playing now than 20 years ago."]What's your local club? Ail is a young persons game especially top flight considering its semi pro level without the benefits of the pay for a lot of guys and many cant keep to that level once 3rd level is finished. Game is spreading wider. Plenty new adult teams in new areas or smaller clubs doing well but al called traditional senior clubs are not as strong. 20 years there wasnt a senior club in tipp. Now theres 3. Best from tipp had to go elsewhere to play senior rugby. Same nationwide. KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 1636 - 26/05/2020 01:10:05 2279198 Link 1 |
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Are children between 6 and 18 really less involved with sport now than 30 or 40 years ago? If so are internet, television, computers, computer games part of the reason for this, or are there too many serious organised games, some of them with sideline ref parents wanting to interfere, and not many street football-type games which we used to love playing because they were fun? GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 5955 - 26/05/2020 03:06:54 2279199 Link 7 |
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I guess that's why you now hear the term "childhood obesity" being thrown around a lot. It all starts at home with the parents. The schools have a part to play in it too of course.
Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 1082 - 26/05/2020 11:47:46 2279225 Link 0 |
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What about instead of overtime in matches you just have a throw-in at midfield and first score wins? We've all seen where teams were dead on their feet after giving it everything just to have to get out there again so why not lessen the agony on them? Ref throws the ball in at midfield and first score wins! Trump2020 (Galway) - Posts: 1082 - 26/05/2020 11:52:59 2279227 Link 0 |
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I have seen that operate in 7s and 9s and it works very well. I have refereed some of the games where it has been used and believe me as a ref its a nightmare. As a ref you never want to be the winning or losing of a game off the back of something you missed or though you saw, in a regular game you can always comfort yourself with the fact that the other team nearly always gets another chance - in a golden score game that never happens - it adds a huge amount of pressure!
zinny (Wexford) - Posts: 982 - 26/05/2020 17:08:32 2279267 Link 1 |