Big World of Rugby

Stuff from around the world.

Moderator: Moderators

Post Reply
User avatar
Snipe Watson
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 23443
Joined: Mon Sep 08, 2008 6:42 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by Snipe Watson »

big mervyn wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:51 pm
solidarity wrote: Wed Apr 22, 2020 2:18 pm 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.
User avatar
solidarity
Chancellor to the King
Posts: 3884
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:00 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by 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
User avatar
solidarity
Chancellor to the King
Posts: 3884
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:00 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by solidarity »

Never knew she was from Cookstown: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-52291327
Bart S
Lord Chancellor
Posts: 4308
Joined: Sun Jan 28, 2007 11:48 am

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by Bart S »

Snipe Watson wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 3:54 pm
big mervyn wrote: Thu Apr 23, 2020 1:51 pm
solidarity wrote: Wed Apr 22, 2020 2:18 pm 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.
User avatar
solidarity
Chancellor to the King
Posts: 3884
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:00 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by 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
Lord Chancellor
Posts: 8318
Joined: Fri Sep 07, 2007 10:51 am

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by Neill_M »

solidarity wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:08 am 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.
User avatar
big mervyn
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 14360
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:22 pm
Location: Overlooking the pitch (til they built the old new stand)

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by big mervyn »

Neill_M wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 10:15 am
solidarity wrote: Thu Jul 09, 2020 7:08 am 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 :roll:
Volunteer at an animal sanctuary; it will fill you with joy , despair, but most of all love, unconditional love of the animals.
Big Neville Southall
User avatar
solidarity
Chancellor to the King
Posts: 3884
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:00 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by 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.
User avatar
solidarity
Chancellor to the King
Posts: 3884
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:00 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by 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
Warrior
Posts: 1143
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 11:36 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by 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.
User avatar
Jackie Brown
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 11723
Joined: Sat Jun 11, 2005 1:15 pm
Location: Carrickfergus

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by Jackie Brown »

Show Ulster the same loyalty they showed our players.
Gonna Party Like It's 1999
Bobbievee
Warrior
Posts: 1143
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 11:36 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by Bobbievee »

Egsfckingactly
User avatar
solidarity
Chancellor to the King
Posts: 3884
Joined: Sat Jun 01, 2013 7:00 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by solidarity »

Anybody interested in joining a panel to do something to help organise world rugby or at least some of it?
https://www.rugbyworldcup.com/2021/news ... -fan-panel
Bobbievee
Warrior
Posts: 1143
Joined: Wed Feb 27, 2019 11:36 pm

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by Bobbievee »

Can't find any mention on the site today of the Argies beating the (full) All Blacks team for the first time ever. Watched it on Sky and Argies right into their faces for 80 minutes.
Tremendous achievement.
User avatar
big mervyn
Rí­ na Cúige Uladh
Posts: 14360
Joined: Fri May 09, 2008 2:22 pm
Location: Overlooking the pitch (til they built the old new stand)

Re: Big World of Rugby

Post by big mervyn »

Bobbievee wrote: Sun Nov 15, 2020 1:18 am Can't find any mention on the site today of the Argies beating the (full) All Blacks team for the first time ever. Watched it on Sky and Argies right into their faces for 80 minutes.
Tremendous achievement.
Thanks, and we'd still still be keeping schtum ...if it wasn't for you >EW
Volunteer at an animal sanctuary; it will fill you with joy , despair, but most of all love, unconditional love of the animals.
Big Neville Southall
Post Reply