Big World of Rugby

[Snipe Watson]

They say, keep politics out of sport. I disagree - it's part of sport. Here's an interesting article from a decade ago and some interesting links at the bottom of the page: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ine-people

I agree. If ever there was a case for politicising sport it was the apartheid regime and given the importance of rugby, a great shame on the Lions for breaching the boycott.

I have always been of the same mind Mervyn, but with one caveat.
The Irish players, particularly the Ulstermen have risen above politics in Ireland to represent the whole island and this was a time when things were particularly bad here and the IRFU was close to schism. I have never bought the supposed cover of the token games against non white teams that were played as they were every bit as much part of the apartheid system as the all white Boks. But the local Irish context did make something of a mitigating case for Willie John, Syd Millar, et al. In my opinion their default position had to be that politics and rugby were incompatible.

[solidarity]

Here's an interview with Eddie Jones on leadership. I'm not quite bored enough yet to listen to it; maybe others are: https://leadersinsport.com/performance/ ... +%7C+Email

[solidarity]

Never knew she was from Cookstown: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52291327

[Bart S]

They say, keep politics out of sport. I disagree - it's part of sport. Here's an interesting article from a decade ago and some interesting links at the bottom of the page: https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfr ... ine-people

I agree. If ever there was a case for politicising sport it was the apartheid regime and given the importance of rugby, a great shame on the Lions for breaching the boycott.

I have always been of the same mind Mervyn, but with one caveat.
The Irish players, particularly the Ulstermen have risen above politics in Ireland to represent the whole island and this was a time when things were particularly bad here and the IRFU was close to schism. I have never bought the supposed cover of the token games against non white teams that were played as they were every bit as much part of the apartheid system as the all white Boks. But the local Irish context did make something of a mitigating case for Willie John, Syd Millar, et al. In my opinion their default position had to be that politics and rugby were incompatible.

Guys like Willie John were before my time, but my view of his exploits will always be tarnished to some extent by the apartheid tours. Taking part at the time was one thing, but he then went on to manage the 1989 rebel world xv which played SA and at no time has he ever expressed any regret over his involvement in any of this (indeed it is much the opposite).

Of course plenty of countries have questionable records on human rights and the easy option would be not to mix sports and politics but in a country where the government deeemed the majority of the population to be inferior a stand had to be taken. Mind you, governments didn’t exactly help the issue either.

[solidarity]

Looks like CVC are set to take over northern hemisphere rugby.
https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six ... ugby-union .

Anybody hear anything about the possibility of Japan and Fiji in a revamped 'Six Nations' this year?

[Neill_M]

Looks like CVC are set to take over northern hemisphere rugby.
https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six ... ugby-union .

Anybody hear anything about the possibility of Japan and Fiji in a revamped 'Six Nations' this year?

The cunning plan is for Ireland Italy on Oct 24 with the 2020 6N finishing on Oct 31. Nov 14 - Dec 5 apparently is a mini tournament with the 6N sides and 2 other sides from (Japan, Fiji and South Africa). 3 group matches and a finals day.

[big mervyn]

Looks like CVC are set to take over northern hemisphere rugby.
https://www.sportspromedia.com/news/six ... ugby-union .

Anybody hear anything about the possibility of Japan and Fiji in a revamped 'Six Nations' this year?

The cunning plan is for Ireland Italy on Oct 24 with the 2020 6N finishing on Oct 31. Nov 14 - Dec 5 apparently is a mini tournament with the 6N sides and 2 other sides from (Japan, Fiji and South Africa). 3 group matches and a finals day.

Aye. It's not like there isn't any other rugby to be squeezed in

[solidarity]

It's never solely about rugby, is it Merv? It's all about https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETxmCCsMoD0 . Usually I'm pretty cynical about these things but I can see that there needs to be some money made. I suppose there's no chance of them using the competition to blood a good number of young players along with the regulars and have them playing fewer matches.

[solidarity]

I guess most people have seen this: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-eur ... orts-field Munster and e-gaming. Not quite sure what to say.

Shan... Shan... help!

[Bobbievee]

Good (?) To see an autumn tournament, the finish of this year's 6 nations, and the the 2021 6 nations all going ahead. that should leave just about enough players in UR between October and April 2021 to make up a UR B team to play matches in the Pro 14............. And of course a couple of Heineken matches.
But as loyal UR family members we shall donate, pay for membership, pay for tickets if we can get them, and be very grateful to our players for having taken such massive(!) paycuts.
Yeah, right.