Which of the following sporting achievements would mean more to the nation?

mossyc123

Interesting question posed by this thread, some predictably ludicrous slagging goin on aswell.

Here's my 2 Cents

I honestly believe that at this point Ireland simply have to qualify for Euro 2012.

We still have Keane, Duff, Dunne & Given capable of playing to a reasonable level and have a few decent young players coming through.

We probably couldn't have got a more favourable draw and with 4 games to go are completely in control of our own destiny.

It'll be 10 years since the Japan/S Korea WC by the time Euro 2012 rolls around this time next year and I really think, if we get there, we'll be very difficult to eliminate.

There simply isn't anything to compare to Ireland doing well in a Major International Soccer tournament and it really does bring everyone together and give the country a good boost.

Rugby has served the die-hard and the armchair fan very well over the last 10-12 years and the character of the men who represent their country is something to be proud of.

But.

Apart from hammering England regularely, Rugby Internationals are just a fraction below the sheer exhiliration of a big Ireland game at a major Soccer tournament.

Another Grand Slam would be great, but I think only getting to/winning the RWC Final and beating the best along the way* would compare to qualifying and doing well in Euro 2012.



*At least 2 of France/England/South Africa/Australia/New Zealand(!)

Opelfruit

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Well im looking forward to Ireland destroying New Zealand in the WC so

O can you tell me our record against New Zealand while your at it????

Go on I dare ya????

Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks, but it's only a matter of time until they do.

An Irish soccer team has never qualified for the Champions League but in this case they never will.

Tubsandtiles

Winning the six nations and Grand slam, as much as people hate on rugby, the team have made this country proud even if we did bad in the six nations this year



























































We did hamer England

The_Kew_Tour

Opelfruit wrote: »

Ireland have never beaten the All Blacks, but it's only a matter of time until they do.

An Irish soccer team has never qualified for the Champions League but in this case they never will.

Hope your right on your first point.

I would love to see Ireland win WC but they have no chance imo.

I suppose my loyalty for rugby is gone a little. I used to go to all five nations games with my dad my Cousin is on Irish team but I just hate these days you go to game and all you get is people with no interest in just saying that they go and then slagging other sports because we beat England or whoever.

liamygunner29

moneyman wrote: »

If we're being honest, we're only better at rugby because it is played by far less people in other countries. Make it as popular in other countries as it is in Ireland throughout the world and Ireland more than likely become average at it again.

Also regarding the point of FIFA being corrupt, it is. But that really doesn't make the sport itself any worse. It makes the governing bodies a joke, but it hardly means the sport is any better or worse.

This man is correct.

What some rugby heads fail to acknowledge is that Ireland happens to be good at rugby because nobody fcuking plays it or gives a **** about it. Even in England and France our main European rivals rugby is only popular in certain areas.

Football is the most widely played, followed and enjoyed. It is the global sport and to qualify for a spectacle like a European Championship or a World Cup would quickly change things. In 2002, 1994 and 1990 nobody could give a flying fudge cake what happend the rugby team and once we qualify for something again that will be the case.

Another thing to everyone that goes on about football being ghey and for wimmins that is just bananas. As previous posters have pointed out, rugby is hardly made up of angels.

Football always was and always will be the most popular sport in the world. Never will the more continental/ technical countries warm to rugby, thats just the way it is. Therefore we should be more proud of something that it is harder to achieve and that is football.

Marty McFly

Tubsandtiles wrote: »

Winning the six nations and Grand slam, as much as people hate on rugby, the team have made this country proud even if we did bad in the six nations this year

Yeh see thats the problem I like many people in this country if we do badly in rugby I couldnt care less, and if we do well like win the six nations yes ill be proud of the fact an Irish team done so well.

But at the same time you must admit there never the same sense of joy and pride you see if as when the Irish soccer team reachs a world cup? Its like the whole country shuts down youll hear cars beeping if Ireland score, theres a sense of anticipation before every game and euphoria if we do well in the whole country. Why because its is the more popular sport, t the momment rugby is doing well so you have a lot of plastic fans jumping on the badwagon but we all know if there was a big rugby match on and a big soccer match on most fans would be watching soccer, and in pubs if rugby was even shown itd be in the back corner somewhere.

LostGirly

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Well im looking forward to Ireland destroying New Zealand in the WC so

O can you tell me our record against New Zealand while your at it????

Go on I dare ya????

Only if you can tell us how many times Ireland soccer team have beaten Brazil, while you're at it???

Go on I dare ya????



Sorry I had to break, this was such an outrageous comment!!

Opelfruit

You have to laugh at the insecurity of Irish soccer fans. Once all they did was bitch and moan about the GAA, now that rugby has passed out soccer in this country they start to snipe and bitch about that.

The most popular national sports team is the Irish rugby XV, both in terms of attendance and TV ratings. The most popular domestic sports team is Leinster, soccer has nothing comparable.

Soccer had its day in Ireland, it's over guys, the future is oval!

The_Kew_Tour

LostGirly wrote: »

Only if you can tell us how many times Ireland soccer team have beaten Brazil, while you're at it???

Go on I dare ya????



Sorry I had to break, this was such an outrageous comment!!

Well Rugby team have never beaten New Zealand in 27 attempts?????

While the Irish soccer team has beaten Brazil. 1987 was the year we beat them 1-0

Wish you hadn't now eh

mossyc123

luvbulmers01 wrote: »

Yeh see thats the problem I like many people in this country if we do badly in rugby I couldnt care less, and if we do well like win the six nations yes ill be proud of the fact an Irish team done so well.

I wouldn't myself say that I couldn't care less but the dissapointment very quickly evaporates.

Narrowly losing the 6 nations match to France this year was heartbreaking but the next day i'd kind of forgotten about it.

It probably has something to do with the fact that we play all the major European nations every year and all the big Southern Hemisphere teams about every 18 Months so there is always a chance for revenge.

Whereas losing to Spain in the 2002 World Cup on penalties still haunts many sports fans thoughts.

The fact that we have so few chances to shine in International Football makes the victories more sweet and the dissapointments more sour.

Marty McFly

Opelfruit wrote: »

You have to laugh at the insecurity of Irish soccer fans. Once all they did was bitch and moan about the GAA, now that rugby has passed out soccer in this country they start to snipe and bitch about that.

The most popular national sports team is the Irish rugby XV, both in terms of attendance and TV ratings. The most popular domestic sports team is Leinster, soccer has nothing comparable.

Soccer had its day in Ireland, it's over guys, the future is oval!

Can you back that up with stats? I doubt its true. Domestic yes leinster, but national team doubt it.

Soccer fans insecuritys, hmm i doubt it since several argument hve been put to you and you just seem to keep ignoring them and coming out with your own little ramblings without backing them up:rolleyes:

Opelfruit

LostGirly wrote: »

Only if you can tell us how many times Ireland soccer team have beaten Brazil, while you're at it???

Go on I dare ya????



Sorry I had to break, this was such an outrageous comment!!

ROI beat Brazil 1-0 in a half empty rugby stadium in 1987. What soccer fans forget is that before the Jack Charlton bandwaggon started the sport was unfashionable and unpopular in Ireland. We have just returned to the normal state of affairs.

The_Kew_Tour

Opelfruit wrote: »

ROI beat Brazil 1-0 in a half empty rugby stadium in 1987. What soccer fans forget is that before the Jack Charlton bandwaggon started the sport was unfashionable and unpopular in Ireland. We have just returned to the normal state of affairs.

Actually if you watched games against France, Bulgaria, Holland and Belgium in 1970's and 80's there was full houses...

Marty McFly

In fact just look at the threads on here,

Rugby http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=388


Soccer http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=151

I think its quite clear which sport is the more popular, cant argue with that.

macman2010

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Well im looking forward to Ireland destroying New Zealand in the WC so

O can you tell me our record against New Zealand while your at it????

Go on I dare ya????

do you have split personalities or something, you arguing with yourself here

Opelfruit

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Actually if you watched games against France, Bulgaria, Holland and Belgium in 1970's and 80's there was full houses...

No there wasnt.:rolleyes:

The_Kew_Tour

macman2010 wrote: »

do you have split personalities or something, you arguing with yourself here

:rolleyes:

Ya should try bloody reading with little bit of taught and actually what I was referring to.

Mother of god lol

Opelfruit

luvbulmers01 wrote: »

In fact just look at the threads on here,

Rugby http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=388


Soccer http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?f=151

I think its quite clear which sport is the more popular, cant argue with that.

Once again the number of posts on an internet forum proves everything.:D

The_Kew_Tour

Opelfruit wrote: »

No there wasnt.:rolleyes:

Yes, yes there was actually...

and if you want make yourself look like fool go ahead make my day

The_Kew_Tour

Opelfruit wrote: »

No there wasnt.:rolleyes:

Well here is one case in which you make yourself look foolish again

Half empty stadium you say?????

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0igb5ZjSGmw

IRISHSPORTSGUY

mossyc123 wrote: »

I wouldn't myself say that I couldn't care less but the dissapointment very quickly evaporates.

Narrowly losing the 6 nations match to France this year was heartbreaking but the next day i'd kind of forgotten about it.

It probably has something to do with the fact that we play all the major European nations every year and all the big Southern Hemisphere teams about every 18 Months so there is always a chance for revenge.

Whereas losing to Spain in the 2002 World Cup on penalties still haunts many sports fans thoughts.

The fact that we have so few chances to shine in International Football makes the victories more sweet and the dissapointments more sour.

Kinsella and Holland were good players (and piss on Whelan and Andrews from a great height), but what could have been if Roy Keane at the peak of his powers was playing. I truly believe we'd have topped the group and gone as far as the final - Germany had one of the easiest routes ever in a World Cup.

What could have been... *sighs*

Fratton Fred

Pherekydes wrote: »

They're typically ranked between 4 and 8 in the World rankings. What does this say about Rugby as a global game?

It says that Ireland regularly ranks between the top and the middle of the teams that aren't the three "great" team.

Non of which reside on this hemisphere.

Kevin Duffy

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Wish you hadn't now eh

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

and if you want make yourself look like fool go ahead make my day

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Go on I dare ya????

You're very well balanced, a chip on both shoulders.

Opelfruit

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Actually if you watched games against France, Bulgaria, Holland and Belgium in 1970's and 80's there was full houses...

14/10/1987
Rep of Ireland 2 - Bulgaria 0
Lansdowne Road, Dublin

Official Attendance - 26000
Capacity - 49000



No there wasnt!
Apology accepted!

dpe

Opelfruit wrote: »

The sooner the FAIs lease on the Aviva is up the better! The IRFU should adopt the "tough on soccer, tough on the causes of soccer" approach of the RFU in England where soccer is banned from Twickenham.

Er, no it isn't. Twickenham actually pitched itself as a stadium for the England 2018 World Cup bid. If anything the English FA have been sniffy about Twickenham, not the other way around.

Opelfruit wrote: »

You have to laugh at the insecurity of Irish soccer fans. Once all they did was bitch and moan about the GAA, now that rugby has passed out soccer in this country they start to snipe and bitch about that.

The most popular national sports team is the Irish rugby XV, both in terms of attendance and TV ratings. The most popular domestic sports team is Leinster, soccer has nothing comparable.

Soccer had its day in Ireland, it's over guys, the future is oval!

Leinster simply covers a wider population than any individual GAA or Soccer team so the numbers are inevitable. It would be surprising if was any other way. As for TV attendance, you have to compare like with like. If the Irish soccer team was in a competitive game (like the Euros or the WC) the figures would be as good or better than Six nations or the RWC. Not because of any intrinsic qualities of either sport, but because soccer taps into a much broader spread of casual support than any other sport on earth. People who wouldn't watch a soccer game from one year to the next will make the effort for a World Cup match if "their" team is playing.

As for Soccer's "decline", in Europe, there are only two countries in Europe where attendances are in decline, Scotland and Italy. In Scotland its probably terminal decline, but in Italy its more of a blip as the owners are all skint and the stadia are falling to bits and the hooligans are in ascendance (like England in the 70s/80s), but they'll come back (like England did). Football will always triumph because there are a billion Chinese who want to watch Wayne Rooney every Sunday morning and the money always wins.

Pherekydes

Fratton Fred wrote: »

It says that Ireland regularly ranks between the top and the middle of the teams that aren't the three "great" team.

Non of which reside on this hemisphere.

The question was, "What does it say about Rugby as a global game?"

About 5 nations have ideas about winning the RWC. About 5 have ideas about reaching the Final. About 8 have ideas about reaching the Semis.

Total semi-final appearances in all RWCs:

FRA	5
NZL	5
ENG	4
AUS	4
RSA	3
ARG	1
SCO	1
WAL	1

Opelfruit

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Actually if you watched games against France, Bulgaria, Holland and Belgium in 1970's and 80's there was full houses...

10/09/1980
Rep of Ireland 2 - Netherlands 1
Lansdowne Road, Dublin

Official Attendance - 25000
Capacity - 49000



Once again, to reiterate, there wasnt!

macman2010

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

:rolleyes:

Ya should try bloody reading with little bit of taught and actually what I was referring to.

Your pointless post highlighting an obvious statitic added nothing to the thread, congratulations on ambushing what was an interesting debate.

Ireland beat brazil once so what.

profitius

I used to be a big soccer fan until I realised rugby is just so much better. For instance how much action is jammed into a rugby match compared to a soccer match. Imagine going to watch a sport and both teams fail to score! And us rugby fans at least have some world class players playing in Ireland.

I do find it odd when Irish soccer fans say 'we' when talking about foreign teams.

GAA is also miles better than soccer.

Jonah42

I love seeing Ireland doing good in all sports. How about that!

ejmaztec

The poll results will change significantly when the soccer-fans get out of bed this afternoon.

The_Kew_Tour

Kevin Duffy wrote: »

You're very well balanced, a chip on both shoulders.

lol fair enough

Fratton Fred

dpe wrote: »

Er, no it isn't. Twickenham actually pitched itself as a stadium for the England 2018 World Cup bid. If anything the English FA have been sniffy about Twickenham, not the other way around.

Actually I think it is more a case of practicalities.

Football fans are segregated, rugby fans aren't. Twickenham has no form of segregation and would need work done to install it.

The_Kew_Tour

Opelfruit wrote: »

10/09/1980
Rep of Ireland 2 - Netherlands 1
Lansdowne Road, Dublin

Official Attendance - 25000
Capacity - 49000



Once again, to reiterate, there wasnt!

lol well if you stop making up stuff some people might take you seriously.

Look at video above, you could not make your stuff more funny

parker kent

This thread is a disaster zone, knowledge of world sport and sporting history seem to be a hindrance!

Anyway....

TheZohan wrote: »

Winning the 6 Nations and Grand Slam of course.

How on earth could that compare to merely qualifying for the Euro's? We're too used to having a great rugby team, that's the problem.

Too used? Ireland have had a GOOD rugby team for a relatively small amount of time.

As for your question about qualifying, Ireland are in the 6 Nations every year. There are typically 2 poor teams in it and the rest are decent (with the occasional exceptional team). It is easily comparable to a qualification group for the WC or EC. Given we are in the 6 Nations every year and only 4 team harbour any hope of winning it (frequently less than 4), qualifying for a soccer tournament would be far bigger in my eyes. That is before you add that soccer is the global game.

Opelfruit wrote: »

Looked pretty full for the Six Nations (when fans werent boycotting the IRFU due to inflated ticket prices). The total attendance for all Carling Nations Cup matches would probably fit in the dressing rooms.

Comparing the second biggest International rugby tournament Ireland can play in with meaningless friendlies is a bit ridiculous.

The_Kew_Tour

macman2010 wrote: »

Your pointless post highlighting an obvious statitic added nothing to the thread, congratulations on ambushing what was an interesting debate.

Ireland beat brazil once so what.

I gave some facts, if you cant handle it stop moaning

edit: o and I support both teams, i just honest and back it up like my other posts.

now run along

moneyman

Phill Ewinn wrote: »

Oh ghey wrestling now is it? Soccer is for queers, it's an internationally proven fact. Trying to bash other sports because the one you love is queer is fairly sad. If I'm to take soccer seriously there'll have to be a topless ladies league.

Your stupidity knows no bounds. How you took my post to be insulting towards wrestling is quite a feat. Due to your low intelligence I'll spell it out for you. Since you are intent on labelling football as queer (are you 14?), presumably due to the lack of physical contact, then you should be doing sports where physical contact is absolutely necessary, ie MMA or boxing. Since you're such a tough man, you should be quite good at these sports.

OR, as is likely the case, you're a fat keyboard warrior who likes to pretend to be hard by bashing football. Surely if you loved physical sports so much you'd be doing boxing/MMA, and excelling at it?

Idiot.

Opelfruit

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

Actually if you watched games against France, Bulgaria, Holland and Belgium in 1970's and 80's there was full houses...

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

I gave some facts, if you cant handle it stop moaning

edit: o and I support both teams, i just honest and back it up like my other posts.

now run along

Ah, you're a proven liar! Your fact is a proven lie!

ROI v Netherlands Half empty stadium!
ROI v Bulgaria Another half empty stadium!

You run along!

The_Kew_Tour

Opelfruit wrote: »

Ah, you're a proven liar! Your fact is a proven lie!

ROI v Netherlands Half empty stadium!
ROI v Bulgaria Another half empty stadium!

You run along!

lol well if you look at video you see its full house,

Dont believe everything you read, pictures tell much more..

I will give you the bulgaria one, but I was referring to the one in 1977 or 1978.

Still 3/4 aint bad:D

I am running and well ahead of you now

/end of

profitius

macman2010 wrote: »

moneyman wrote: »

If we're being honest, we're only better at rugby because it is played by far less people in other countries. Make it as popular in other countries as it is in Ireland throughout the world and Ireland more than likely become average at it again.

Ireland has over 120,000 registered rugby players. Compare that to England who have over 2 million, France similar. yet we still beat them year in year out.
It is also the national sport of South Africa, Wales, NZ.
And we compete/beat these teams regularly. (NZ exception)

Your argument just does not stand up.

Exactly. We are good at rugby as a nation. We have some of the best athletes in the world of rugby eg Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris and David Wallace in the backrow alone.

The national team is also getting better every year and playing an exciting brand of high tempo running rugby that takes skill (as opposed to the soccer team who concentrate on spoiling other teams) and I think they're going to have a good world cup.

Irish teams have won the Heineken cup in 4 out of the last 6 seasons beating wealthy French and English clubs.

bonerm

Six Nations = an annual competition you can win if you can round up about 20 big public-schoolboys.

The_Kew_Tour

Opelfruit wrote: »

Ah, you're a proven liar! Your fact is a proven lie!

ROI v Netherlands Half empty stadium!
ROI v Bulgaria Another half empty stadium!

You run along!

lol ya half empty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0igb5ZjSGmw

Buceph

I fully accept that there are fans of every sport who will cry their game from the hilltops forever more. The problem is they start talking about bull**** statistics that make no difference to the game whatsoever. Who gives a **** what sport has more money or more fans once the basic level of "are the away games on telly" is met.

Personally, I find soccer boring. There's athleticism in it, to be sure, but I can't see anything more than that. For most matches, there's no progression to the game, the ball is being passed about anywhere and everywhere. It seems like there's few options to be run on what decision the player makes. There's very little patterns or strategy to it. There might be tactics, like knocking the ball long or going down the wings, along with changing formations, but I don't see how that translates into the winning or losing of games. Goals seem to come from individual (and team) skill rather than an application of intent. Some games are great to watch, if one extremely skillful team is dominant it's great to watch them try and exploit the opposition if they're good at defense, but that's a rare occurence. Most matches I watch there's no indication that a goal was coming, and there's no indication of what part of the build up caused it.*

Conversely, with rugby there's tactics and strategy all over the place. IN fact there are particular positions whose fundamental role is to provide a strategic decision making function. O'Gara is well known for being such a player seeing as he's poor in a lot of other areas of his game. At the base level of rugby you have the forwards against the other forward, and the backs against the other backs, as well as set pieces. After that you can drill down into the different aspects of each section, and how they link up and come up with a huge amount of strategic variation. And that's why I prefer it to other sports. Soccer (and basketball, baseball, hurling and football) all seem to be about the ball flying up and down the pitch with no real strategy going on but a lot of individual skill. Rugby has both elements, the individual skill (atheleticism and phsyicality) as well as the strategy. And the only other sport I see with that is American Football.

So yeah. I don't see why anyone gives a crap over which is more popular or inspirational or whatever. To me that's just a dick waggling contest. Once you can watch them on the tellybox who gives a feck?


*I fully admit I haven't watched a lot of soccer since I was about 14. I'll watch the odd Champions League and international match if it's on, but I probably don't have a great understanding of the strategic implications of decisions.

Seachmall

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

lol ya half empty

The capacity was 49,250 (with 25,000 seated, according to Wiki).

Attendance was 25,000 according to link.

Half empty is a pretty good estimate.

parker kent

profitius wrote: »

Exactly. We are good at rugby as a nation. We have some of the best athletes in the world of rugby eg Sean O'Brien, Stephen Ferris and David Wallace in the backrow alone.

The national team is also getting better every year and playing an exciting brand of high tempo running rugby that takes skill (as opposed to the soccer team who concentrate on spoiling other teams) and I think they're going to have a good world cup.

Irish teams have won the Heineken cup in 4 out of the last 6 seasons beating wealthy French and English clubs.

That is all well and good. But moneyman's point is probably true, if more nations put more effort into rugby, we would become average.

Sonics2k

orourkeda wrote: »

No it isnt. Its the most most mentally retarded sport ever invemted.

derp kick ball in net get paid millions herp.

Let's see, even worse sports.

American Football.
Baseball.

Now don't get me wrong, Soccer can be fun to watch, but frankly I get bored of watching people kick a ball back and forth in the middle of a pitch for 70 minutes of the match, with half-baked attempts at actually scoring a goal.

Rugby on the other hand (at the same professional and international level) is on a constant physical exertion put into the full match. In rugby you can't just get the ball and stand still while people get in postion, you catch it and run before some big bugger comes along and clobbers you.

bonerm

The_Kew_Tour wrote: »

lol ya half empty

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0igb5ZjSGmw

That was before the curved East Stand went in so I'd say the capacity around that time was probably closer to 40000 than the 49000 at its max. Also it's hard to gauge how full a terrace is as people are standing up in a random pattern rather than sitting down in a nice neat one. Further we can't really see the West Stand or East Upper in that footage so who knows how many people are there.

Lansdowne Road. One of the worst designed stadiums of that size anywhere in the world. A real Frankenstein mess of shapes. I'd imagine opposition teams often lost there purely because they were so distracted by the architecture.

Still I preferred it to the new stadium, esp as it was before the floodlights went in.

profitius

parker kent wrote: »

That is all well and good. But moneyman's point is probably true, if more nations put more effort into rugby, we would become average.

Why? We're ranked ahead of France and England now and they've much bigger playing populations. Thats not being average so why would we suddenly become average in the future?

Moneyman failed to explain his reasoning.

Seachmall

Sonics2k wrote: »

derp kick ball in net get paid millions herp.

Let's see, even worse sports.

American Football.
Baseball.

And Nascar.

parker kent

Buceph wrote: »

I fully accept that there are fans of every sport who will cry their game from the hilltops forever more. The problem is they start talking about bull**** statistics that make no difference to the game whatsoever. Who gives a **** what sport has more money or more fans once the basic level of "are the away games on telly" is met.

<snip>

So yeah. I don't see why anyone gives a crap over which is more popular or inspirational or whatever. To me that's just a dick waggling contest. Once you can watch them on the tellybox who gives a feck?

*I fully admit I haven't watched a lot of soccer since I was about 14. I'll watch the odd Champions League and international match if it's on, but I probably don't have a great understanding of the strategic implications of decisions.

Your post would have been great if you had left it like that. No need to explain why you prefer something, it will only lead to people disagreeing with your opinion. I'd feel the same as you, just I'd reverse rugby with soccer. I think rugby is boring.