Worst Fans in the World? **Mod Warning. Read OP.**

Digifriendly

There seems to be a view out there that Sunday matches whether its Lansdowne Road, Murrayfield, Cardiff or wherever lack atmosphere. Why is this the case?

Less people drinking because they have work the next day...

Simple

Taco Corp

The thing about the match on Sunday is that a lot of the crowd, myself included, got very frustrated at the persistent errors. I don't mind loosing a game when you deserve to be beaten but when you essentially beat yourself, it's hard to watch and to cheer them on.

I also think that there was a an expectation that Ireland were going to be hammered on Sunday and even though we got the early score the expectations seem didn't change that for some reason. Going the game with that kind of attitude doesn't help. The Irish crowd seem to be heavily influenced by the expectations for most games.

One thing I can never understand is people leaving before the end. It started happening in the run up to the Heaslips try. Why bother going if you would leave during a passage of play like that? There was still plenty of time left to get a result and we so nearly did. If getting to the bar or getting out ahead of the crowd is really that important that you should go to your local or stay at home.

cson

Digifriendly wrote: »

There seems to be a view out there that Sunday matches whether its Lansdowne Road, Murrayfield, Cardiff or wherever lack atmosphere. Why is this the case?

Simple answer; people have to work the next day and can't get locked.

superelectric

If the supporters of every other country taking part in the 6 Nations can put club differences aside why is it so hard for Irelands supporters do the same? There's nothing wrong with a bit of competitivness between provincial supporters but it's juvenile to take it into the international arena. If some supporters can see past their provincial colours when they attend Ireland matches then why not do everyone, especially the team, a favour and stay away.

I agree, The Fields and Molly Malone have run their course on the international stage and maybe it's time to find a new chant/song. Maybe someone could pen an 'Ode to George Hook' that could be sung in Lansdowne?

thebaz

rugby is changing at a rapid pace - for me its a much better game to watch on tv , than soccer - but i was at loftus rd. last year with some NZ rugby lads, and they were shocked at the intensity of the atmosphere/ hostility - qpr v cardiff - they had never witnessed anything like the rivalry/ atmosphere - the stadium wasn't packed , it was a league match, not do or die - but the intensity of the atmosphere , you rarely if ever get at live rugby - many wouldnt want it, like those who object to the ryder cup rivalry in golf -occasionaly , munster , can generate it - maybe , its this rivalry that makes schools rugby exciting to me

outwest

worst fans are those who think they know the rules,

so many people in pubs think they know the rules, and is the main reason i watch games at home,

as an internation level i like the england fans, great banter to be had.

cson

outwest wrote: »

as an internation level i like the england fans, great banter to be had.

Had great banter in the pubs in and around Twickenham last year both before and after the game. Very gracious in defeat and well able to take/give a slagging. Good craic!

danthefan

I've only had a bad experience at an away match once, and I'm putting it down to standing beside assholes. 99.99% of rugby fans are a good sort.

freyners

fields of athenry used to be sung at every international match i went to before, hate to see it fade out because of provincial rivalry, its the irish rugby team your supporting at these games, not munster/leinster/connacht/ulster.

alot of the problem is the organisers, in cardiff they do alot to rally the crowd, the flames, the announcer, fireworks etc atmosphere is incredible most time, roof being closed helps but still, alot could be done with the aviva.

do they still do schoolboy tickets btw, i remember going to matches on them at the atmosphere in the hill was excellent, easy enuf to get school age children chanting, used to bring on the rest of the stadium quite well.

Quint2010

Personally I always loved Molly Malone. It reminds me of the days back in the old Landsdowne and The Triple Crowns of '82 and '85. "Alive, alive OH.." I think is a great line that really lifts the crowd and the team..

Shelflife

I was at the match, myself and my son gave it our all and went home hoarse.

i was suprised at the lack of umph from the home fans, and hearing the french out sing us was sad.

i think that the irish team only excited us in patches and for large sections of the game it was dull and we had nothing to get us going.

I think that the make up of the fans has a lot to do with it, alot of the younger more vocal fans simply cant afford to go to the game, €180 plus travel €60 for both of us makes it a very expensive day out, add in something to eat and a few drinks and your close to €300 and a 14hr day travelling.

being honest i cant see us travelling to the home games next year unless theres a big change so that will be two less "vocal" fans gone.

wonton

I miss croke park.

Hippo

freyners wrote: »

fields of athenry used to be sung at every international match i went to before, hate to see it fade out because of provincial rivalry, its the irish rugby team your supporting at these games, not munster/leinster/connacht/ulster.

The Fields was a Munster song way before it appeared at any internationals. Molly Malone was sung at Irish games 30 years ago, long before its appearance at the RDS. Maybe it's time, as was suggested above, for a new song for the Irish team.

RMD

Hippo wrote: »

The Fields was a Munster song way before it appeared at any internationals. Molly Malone was sung at Irish games 30 years ago, long before its appearance at the RDS. Maybe it's time, as was suggested above, for a new song for the Irish team.

I'd still consider it an Irish song, not a Munster song and to be honest I think Molly Malone is an absolutely shíte song, if I was on the pitch and heard crap like that it wouldn't give me any form of boost. Need more novelties to create the atmosphere, the drum team at the NZ game were great as the drums could be heard throughout the stadium and it helped build an atmosphere before the game.

cson

Again; it bemuses me how a song about a man from a provincial town in Galway being sent to Australia has anything to do with Munster. :P

Badgermonkey

I'm glad I experienced the South Terrace in the late 80's & early 90's.

I was there aged 16 at the Ire v Aus '91 world cup game and many 5 nations games around that time.

I had access to East Stand tickets in the early 2000's, when the crowd would take a collective intake of breath when BOD got on the ball, amazing games for those who had grown up with Ireland as plucky, gallant also rans.

The France game was the first 6N I've attended in a long while and the experience was sterile and disappointing in my opinion.

I think Irish rugby fans (interpro fools excepted) tend to be very sporting and fair minded and that's an asset we will hold onto.

Perhaps the raucous days are gone, that could be a reflection of the change in society, in stadium architecture and changes in the game itself.

CatFromHue

when i go to a game if i want to shout i'll shout. if i dont want to shout i won't shout. if someones tell me to shout but i don't want to shout, i won't shout. if someone tell me to shout and i want to shout, i'll shout.

:-)

i'm surprised this thread has been opened again. it's a bit.....bizarre!

just out of curiousity how does one own a song?

the first time i sang the fields was at an ireland game in 97. the first time i saw it sang at a game on tv, i think it was buccaneers who were playing! so does that mean ireland own it or buccaneers owns it? (munster/leinster/ulster/connacht were small fry back then)

sunday games are in general a pain. you look forward to the game all week and then the minute it ends you go and iron your clothes for work the next day! not an enjoyable experience at all.

JustinDee

If there's a win or the team is on top, its enjoyable and the crowd responds.
I was in the tunnel at the time of the 25 phase attack leading to Heaslip's try (around the 64th or 65th minute when it started I think). The noise from the crowd actually hurt my ears during those phases.

As for the differences between the crowds, the French were in Dublin and partying since Friday/Saturday (they are a truly great crowd too). The Irish were at a game at home on a sunday afternoon before going to work the next day.

I personally think people are overreacting about the crowd at the game.
Its an easy bet that the noise in the stadium will be huge at 5pm on Saturday March 19th.

buck65

I've noticed this alot in the new Thomond as well. Crowd goes flat waiting to be entertained. One or 2 people try to get it going and are left hanging until maybe another section of the crowd gets going and everyone joins in.

Of course then you get moments like Northampton pool game last year where the atmosphere for the last 10 or 15 minutes was absolutely frightening, O Connell in the bin , Howlett in the scrum that is getting destroyed and us on our 5 meter line and somehow with the collective will (and probably a bad feed) we win the scrum against the head. I have never experienced anything like that at a sporting occasion before.

Of course people look back on the old days with rose-eyed vision, I was at many rugby games in the past where the atmosphere was poor as well, maybe we talk about it more now because of the "Thomond factor" or whatever.

razorblunt

The French fans always travel well I saw them in Murrayfield last year and they were incredible.

Team away fans will always be more hardcore than the home fans as they generally "want" to be there alot more.

That said though I find Ireland's Call a horrific song and I flat refuse to sing it, put half a verse in Irish and I'd reconsider, this works for the ABs and Boks so why not here.


All being said though I think the Scots are worse they make unreal noise before the game and at half time, sing the anthems with gusto and then it turns into a library during the game.

myflipflops

The atmosphere at international games has definately changed for the worse. I remember going to all the 5 Nations games as a schoolboy (3 pound tickets!) in the late nineties when we could hardly buy a win and the atmosphere was great. It seemed to diminish through the 2000's

My last game was the Wales home win last year (emigrated 18 months ago) and it was a pretty quiet crowd. You almost felt you were doing something wrong to be shouting or singing.

One reason is the lack of terraces i think. Generally people now go to matches in groups of 2/3 people sitting together. 15 years ago, there might have been 10-12 of us heading along and standing together. It's a lot easier to make noise in a bigger group like that.


For those talking of the great French fans, I've witnessed enough French crowds turn on their team and start to boo them (even when winning) in my lifetime of watching sport to give them too much credit. I remember the Paris crowd start to boo them in the 2006 game after Michalak put a penalty touch finder dead. France were about 30 points up at the time!

little173

Has anyone considered that the IRFU ticketing policy may well have meant more tickets finding their way into French hands? There seemed to be a lot more than usual, and there seem to be a fair few floating around the Uk for the Eng game as well.
:rolleyes:

Sport101

I think its in part due to the fact we are now spoilt with high quality rugby every weekend on tv, be it HC matches, super 14s or tri nations. Fans are used to seeing top class rugby and their favourite players week in week out, so they demand a bit more excitement when they pay 100 eur a ticket for matches. Its the the nature of the times we live in.

In terms of atmosphere best games I've ever been at were Ireland v Australia in 91, England V Ireland in Croker and the pre match buzz at the Leinster v Munster in Croker was excellent, and of course anytime Simon Geoghegan got his hands on the ball in the 90s after all there was little else to cheer about.

The suggestion above about getting a verse of Ireland's call in Irish is interesting, even though its an abomination of a song.

freyners

Hippo wrote: »

The Fields was a Munster song way before it appeared at any internationals. Molly Malone was sung at Irish games 30 years ago, long before its appearance at the RDS. Maybe it's time, as was suggested above, for a new song for the Irish team.

its the irish team your supporting at these matchs, made up of player from all 4 provinces (+1 osprey), put the inter-pro rivalry to bed for once and get behind the thing...its an irish song, not a munster one, munster fans may sing it alot, doesn't mean they own it

Badgermonkey

razorblunt wrote: »

That said though I find Ireland's Call a horrific song and I flat refuse to sing it, put half a verse in Irish and I'd reconsider, this works for the ABs and Boks so why not here.

You are kidding right?

Luckycharm

Not sure where the opening poster is coming from. Being going to LR since 1984 (well first one I can remember) in the schoolboy section of South terrace £1.50 I thought the atmosphere was not too bad people get into games when there is something happening on the pitch to excite them and not when they are 3 minutes of scrum resets I really hate Sunday games though it kind of ruins the whole matchday knowing you have to go back to work the next day. Best atmosphere is always at games where we are doing better then expected for example NZ game, England early 90's, 00's - worst atmosphere is generally at Argie and Italian games as they are generally niggle fest. You should have gone to some of the games in the 90's I remember watching Ireland get thrashed at home by Western Samoa in a half empty stadium.

Also you obviously have not been to alot of away grounds, Edinburgh can be pretty poor atmosphere wise, Twickers the same. Cardiff is great, French can quickly turn on their own team. If you go down to SH they have no singing and atmosphere can be very poor I was a couple of tests in Sydney which were like Funeral parlours, NZ the fans can turn quite nasty if their team is not doing well (not very often) look at the time they lost to the French in Dunedin and the fans throw bottles at the french.

molloyjh

myflipflops wrote: »

One reason is the lack of terraces i think. Generally people now go to matches in groups of 2/3 people sitting together. 15 years ago, there might have been 10-12 of us heading along and standing together. It's a lot easier to make noise in a bigger group like that.

I think there's probably something to this to be honest. Even going to the Leinster games in Landsdowne now we have this issue. There's a big gang of about 10 or so of us in the terrace in the RDS and we all sort of have our spots there so we know most, if not all, of those around us too. This helps create a really great atmosphere. But when we go to the games in Landsdowne we're not all sitting together so it's a bit broken up that way. If we have non STH friends looking to go we then end up having to do some shuffling around of the seats too to make sure everyone is looked after. It's just not the same as the terrace in the RDS no matter what way you cut it. Obviously there are other factors too but I think the lack of a terrace certainly doesn't help.

siltirocker

It was always my recollection that Molly Malone was the rugby song and The Fields came from Euro '88 and Italia '90. Then at the turn of the millennium it started to become a weekly thing at Munster rugby.

Quint2010

I seriously think its the types who are getting their hands on tickets these days. I was lucky enough (or unlucky enough) to get corporate box tickets for the game on sunday and I couldnt believe the lack of passion and singing around me. When we got that penalty in the second half for offside after ROG had missed touch some guy infront of me turned around to me and asked why it was a penalty. Some people who go to the games just dont have a clue