Behvaiour of Munster fans

aarons · Post by **aarons** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 1:42 pm

I don't know about anyone else, but I am flabbergasted by this example of terrible behaviour by our friends from the south. Perhaps we should begin a reach-out programme, to help teach them how proper rugby fans should behave at a game?

Not only did Bernard Jackman have to cope with being handed wet towels to dry the ball at line-out time while Flannery received dry ones, he also received constant barracking from the Musgrave Park crowd.

Jackman admits he enjoys the attention and was particularly amused by one chant which had the catchy lyrics: "You'll never play for Ireland. You'll never play for Ireland."

In fact, Jackman has four caps for his country, two against Japan in 2005 and two against Argentina last summer. Perhaps the fans already knew this but one suspects they did not or, to put it another way, chants would be a fine thing.

darkside lightside · Post by **darkside lightside** » Wed Dec 05, 2007 2:41 pm

ironically, on that performance, he'll be playing for ireland ahead of flannery this 6N..

Shan · Post by **Shan** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:36 am

I'm not sure how much verbal abuse he had to put up with as I was not at the game.However I would like to say there are idiots everywhere one goes and they are generally the most vociferous.The majority of these "fans" probably didn't even know Jackman's name and were just following what some other clowns were doing.It really annoys me the way some people these days are behaving in a manner more suited to braindead soccer fans.One hears silly chants around these days which one knows have originated on Soccer AM or equivalent low level entertainment show.The lack of original thought is much more of a worry to me than Bernard Jackman as I am quite certain he is not over-sensitive.Besides these people were probably from Cork and as such are fairly uncivilised.

ballymoneyblocker · Post by **ballymoneyblocker** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:39 pm

Hi all, been reading a while now, and not much to add, but i'll begin here. It does depend on whats being chanted. Quite frankly, if the fans could chant a bit more at games, I'd be happy. It builds atmosphere, and there's nothing wrong with a bit of banter!! Some less intelligent people may come out with some tripe, and there's usually one who lets the rest down, but away players are 'fair game' for some verbals.

Anyway, the real problem in the above example was being handed wet towels!!!

Raise the roof every match i say. Bring back the cauldron that away teams feared to come to. Stand up for the Ulstermen... (just don't sing that song as much!)

HwoodMike2umate · Post by **HwoodMike2umate** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:43 pm

looking foward to some good chanting at Easter !! And from what i've heard Cork people are much more civilised/fun than Limerick people.

for dog and ulcer · Post by **for dog and ulcer** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 12:45 pm

BB

Welcome to the board!!

I noticed that Barnes finally began to stop the clock while the ball was dried- I haven't seen that before. I did notice the Munster crowd noise but then I could hear the 2BC on the TV coverage of our game. Both teams lost and I am sympathetic to Ulster supporters who feel that we haven't got much to cheer at the minute and haven't had for a considerable time.

Shan · Post by **Shan** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:26 pm

H'woodMike2umate wrote:looking foward to some good chanting at Easter !! And from what i've heard Cork people are much more civilised/fun than Limerick people.

I also love the chanting at matches and banter between fans/fans and fans/players.I was only joking about the Cork people.I have spent a lot of time in Cork through the years(lived there during the summer for a few years as a teenager) and always enjoyed my visits.I remember one time at Thomond Park during a Munster V Ulster game a number of years ago and David Humphreys came off injured.He came over just in front of where I was standing and took off his boots.A couple of kids came over and asked if he would give them to him.I don't think he was in a charitable mood having come off injured(Of course he may not have understood them as their accents were fairly dodgy).I remember thinking I hope he doesn't leave them out of his sight or the boots will be swiped.This is not to say everybody in Limerick is a thief because obviously the majority are not but it's nice to be able to have a laugh at yourself and your area from time to time as it keeps the old feet on the ground.I think Limerick people are as much fun as anyone else but then again I am a bit biased.

HwoodMike2umate · Post by **HwoodMike2umate** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 2:30 pm

and despite their fans awful and despicable behaviour (and despite being 25% welsh) i will of course be fervently supporting Munster at 5.30pm @ CIYMS on saturday - so any Munster fans in the greater Belfast area are more than welcome to come and buy me a pint - Guinness
only Â£2.15p

HwoodMike2umate · Post by **HwoodMike2umate** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 5:39 pm

For the avoidance of any doubt or misunderstanding i can assure
the great unwashed that i took the plunge and joined the Tennis
section of CIYMS this summer. I'm sure their records will confirm this
and any accusations otherwise shud i reckon merit an immediate penalty payment to me of one pint of Guinness.

moondance · Post by **moondance** » Thu Dec 06, 2007 6:45 pm

Saturday morning at CI
Mini rugby v Lisburn.

Maxi rugby tournament at CI on Sunday.
CI, Malone, Holywood & Instonians play for the Insports Cup.

Watch the kids play - passion and pride.

stiffboy · Post by **stiffboy** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 4:13 am

Why are people surprised at this?
Fans will behave the same way as their players-witness Dowling's moronic
shoving of Fitzgerald when the ball had gone into touch?
But this brings me to a wider question. I have no problem with team munster doing their best to win games-even employing dodgy ball-boys.
What I hate-and this is the question. Why do we all laud the silence afforded to kickers in Thomond and Musgrave?I personally don't shout at
opposing kickers, I'm not demonstrative, but if other people wish to do so, why shouldn't they?They do it in France all the time. What is the difference between barracking a hooker throwing into a lineout and someone taking a kick at goal? Answer- none. From an opposing supporters point of view, we want the same end product- a mistake.
Dont get me wrong, we are not soccer fans. But nor should we adhere to some bourgeois diktat about how we should behave.

Shan · Post by **Shan** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 5:45 am

Having gone to a rugby school in Limerick City I can say that this silence for kickers is instilled at a young age thus becoming the norm.This silence also may give an advantage to the home team as it could be difficult to kick in the midst of a deathly silence(not sure about this though as I have never tried to kick a goal in front of a crowd, silent or otherwise)In France the crowd makes noise whether a home or opposition player is attempting a kick so this really means nothing as far as your argument goes.If people want to try to put a kicker off by booing/shouting or whatever during a kick that is their choice and a kicker worth his salt should not be upset by this but I will continue in the tradition of silence for kickers.The way we see it is if a team beats us on merit then we will accept it but we do not want to have a negative influence on any game.I accept there may be discrepancies in our philosophy but that is what we were taught about respect and honour both in victory and defeat.I think this may be changing though and down the line this Limerick tradition may be eroded.The difference between barracking a hooker and a goal kicker is obvious.If a hooker misplaces his throw it normally will not result in points being scored but if a kicker makes a mistake it costs his team points.

moondance · Post by **moondance** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 11:48 am

A number of years ago I had the "pleasure" of standing beside a group of Munster men on the terrace at Lansdowne Rd during an international game. Humph missed a penalty and was subject to a torrent of sectarian abuse from two of the Munster men, while their friends stood laughing at what was being shouted.

It is apparently acceptable to abuse your own players on the basis of their place of birth, religion and political beliefs - but God forbid that even a whisper should be heard when the opposing team are kicking!I too was taught "silence for the kicker" at school and observe this practice myself, however, I am convinced that it is some sort of quaint Irish custom. It is acceptable in France, Sth Africa, Australia, NZ and most of England to barrrack the opposing kicker. Are we to assume that everyone else is wrong, unsporting etc?

If people want to try to put a kicker off by booing/shouting or whatever during a kick that is their choice.

It is a choice however which could see them thrown out of Ravenhill by the Eventsec gorillas!

pwrmoore · Post by **pwrmoore** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 1:25 pm

What I find hardest is the sanctimoniousness of some Munster fans talking about silence for the kickers as if it was invented in Thomond park and their accompanying implied accusation that none of the rest of us have ever done it.

As far as I can tell most if not all the schools and youth teams in Ireland have instilled this into their players since the dawn of time. It certainly happened at my school and at every school I have visited with my school team and still seems to be universally accepted now that I foollow my son's scholl team roung the country.

It has also been the case at every Provincial and international game I've been to in Ireland though I do accept that some kids seem to be beginning to spoil the tradition.

Shan · Post by **Shan** » Sun Dec 09, 2007 2:11 pm

moondance wrote:A number of years ago I had the "pleasure" of standing beside a group of Munster men on the terrace at Lansdowne Rd during an international game. Humph missed a penalty and was subject to a torrent of sectarian abuse from two of the Munster men, while their friends stood laughing at what was being shouted.

It is apparently acceptable to abuse your own players on the basis of their place of birth, religion and political beliefs - but God forbid that even a whisper should be heard when the opposing team are kicking!I too was taught "silence for the kicker" at school and observe this practice myself, however, I am convinced that it is some sort of quaint Irish custom. It is acceptable in France, Sth Africa, Australia, NZ and most of England to barrrack the opposing kicker. Are we to assume that everyone else is wrong, unsporting etc?

If people want to try to put a kicker off by booing/shouting or whatever during a kick that is their choice.

It is a choice however which could see them thrown out of Ravenhill by the Eventsec gorillas!

This was a disgrace of course.Unfortunately there are neanderthals everywhere but I hope they are in the minority but fear there is a sizable amount of them.I can never understand people abusing their own players or opposition players with that level of vitriol.People who do this should be barred from attending games again(if we could get enough people to tell the authorities what they heard)I agree the silence thing seems to be an Irish custom and I don't think it's unsporting to barrack kickers but I have heard kids being told to shut up in Thomond Park when they were barely audible during a kick so people have no choice but to keep quiet or face the wrath of their own crowd.