Welsh Rugby v Welsh Football

[Jackfath]

It annoys me when people refer to Rugby as the national sport of wales. That's poppycock.

Unless the WRU call an all out emergency on their sport, it will die in Wales.

 

[Niigata Jack]

It annoys me when people refer to Rugby as the national sport of wales. That's poppycock.

Unless the WRU call an all out emergency on their sport, it will die in Wales.

Nah, not in the rest of my lifetime, however long that'll be.

 

[monmouth]

It annoys me when people refer to Rugby as the national sport of wales. That's poppycock.

Unless the WRU call an all out emergency on their sport, it will die in Wales.

Nah, not in the rest of my lifetime, however long that'll be.

It’s already on life support.

 

[Niigata Jack]

Nah, not in the rest of my lifetime, however long that'll be.

It’s already on life support.

No its not, no where near.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

As much I don't really see the attraction, I don't see how you could class a sport as being dead or on life support when the national team (which isn't at its best) still attracts over 60k fans to a game paying £80+ per ticket?

If they don't improve on the pitch things will get worse, but it's fat from 'dead' ffs.

 

[Dr. Winston]

It’s already on life support.

I suspect our rise towards and time in the Premier League (and the Premier league in general to be honest) has put a rather large dent in a potential generation of young Rugby fans. To a lesser extent probably in Cardiff too. If you were a young 'un in those areas during the late 00's and 2010's you're going to want to go and watch the Football, not the Rugby.

The regions simply aren't competition for the big football clubs any more, and that's in the heartlands of the game. Imagine what it'll be like in the North once Wrexham really get going with the glamour behind them. Rugby barely registers there now. If they can attract the types who would typically have drifted to watch Liverpool or Manchester clubs they could do very well indeed.

The club culture and pissup status for most International games will make sure that Rugby won't die off completely though. A Six Nations game will always be an event, even if the WRU's attempts to gouge anyone in attendance will result in declining crowds whilst the team is shite.

 

[Niigata Jack]

It’s already on life support.

I suspect our rise towards and time in the Premier League (and the Premier league in general to be honest) has put a rather large dent in a potential generation of young Rugby fans. To a lesser extent probably in Cardiff too. If you were a young 'un in those areas during the late 00's and 2010's you're going to want to go and watch the Football, not the Rugby.

The regions simply aren't competition for the big football clubs any more, and that's in the heartlands of the game. Imagine what it'll be like in the North once Wrexham really get going with the glamour behind them. Rugby barely registers there now. If they can attract the types who would typically have drifted to watch Liverpool or Manchester clubs they could do very well indeed.

The club culture and pissup status for most International games will make sure that Rugby won't die off completely though. A Six Nations game will always be an event, even if the WRU's attempts to gouge anyone in attendance will result in declining crowds whilst the team is shite.

It always amuses me when I read things like the Pissup Culture/Status of Rugby, you go to any pub around the Liberty on any SCFC match day and its the same, as most rugby games, probably a bit less with Swans not in PL and not doing particularly well at the moment, but there'll still be a fair crowd in most.

I enjoy a few beers before and after, when I go to Rugby or Football matches, its never been much different, when we were playing at the Vetch, most Sandfields pubs were the same.

 

[JackSomething]

As much I don't really see the attraction, I don't see how you could class a sport as being dead or on life support when the national team (which isn't at its best) still attracts over 60k fans to a game paying £80+ per ticket?

If they don't improve on the pitch things will get worse, but it's fat from 'dead' ffs.

Sure I read that they had lots of unsold seats for the Italy game. Even in a Six Nations where Wales don't do very well, not being able to sell a load of seats is a bad sign for the WRU.

As others have said, Wales games will always sell plenty of tickets, but it's hard to argue against the many reports about how the regions and provincial teams are struggling financially.

I enjoy the sport, but it ceased being the most popular sport in Wales a long time ago, no matter what the die-hards like to say.

 

[monmouth]

It’s already on life support.

No its not, no where near.

Have a look at the grass roots Max, then at the economics of the regions, then consider the longer term impact on the cash cow when Wales start tanking. You think people will pay 100 a pop, then you should have a look at what happened in the 90s and why they were offering 2 for 1 against France a few weeks back. People turned up for Italy expecting a jamboree of points and a lap of honour by AWJ and Dan B. The garbage coaching teams they have put in place will do it no short term favours, neither will the misogynistic 1970s WRU run by retired schoolteachers and second rate people controlled by Bargoed RFC and its ilk.

Meanwhile England, France and Ireland are thriving.

What Jackfath says is true. Without urgent action I fear for the future of a game I love in Wales. Now I hope this is overly pessimistic but I can see no real grounds for optimism just now.

 

[dickythorpe]

Wales C beat England C 4 nil in the week.

I expect everyone who watched the Austria game knew that.........
Good turn out on Tuesday.........

That song "Yma o hyd"...........been around for decades now...........

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

As much I don't really see the attraction, I don't see how you could class a sport as being dead or on life support when the national team (which isn't at its best) still attracts over 60k fans to a game paying £80+ per ticket?

If they don't improve on the pitch things will get worse, but it's fat from 'dead' ffs.

Sure I read that they had lots of unsold seats for the Italy game. Even in a Six Nations where Wales don't do very well, not being able to sell a load of seats is a bad sign for the WRU.

As others have said, Wales games will always sell plenty of tickets, but it's hard to argue against the many reports about how the regions and provincial teams are struggling financially.

I enjoy the sport, but it ceased being the most popular sport in Wales a long time ago, no matter what the die-hards like to say.

In a dead rubber end of a disappointing campaign game against another poor team with which there's no rivalry they still had how many there watching? Over 65,000!

 

[JackSomething]

Sure I read that they had lots of unsold seats for the Italy game. Even in a Six Nations where Wales don't do very well, not being able to sell a load of seats is a bad sign for the WRU.

As others have said, Wales games will always sell plenty of tickets, but it's hard to argue against the many reports about how the regions and provincial teams are struggling financially.

I enjoy the sport, but it ceased being the most popular sport in Wales a long time ago, no matter what the die-hards like to say.

In a dead rubber end of a disappointing campaign game against another poor team with which there's no rivalry they still had how many there watching? Over 65,000!

I'm not arguing it's a bad crowd, but it wasn't that long ago that Six nations tickets were like gold dust. Now they've got thousands they can't sell, even for a dead rubber? Then you look at the tiny gates the regions get?

Like Monny says, rugby in Wales is in trouble. I hope they can sort it out, but people (not you in particular) ignoring the problems while still claiming it's the national sport are not going to help the future of Welsh rugby.

 

[Cinio Dydd Sul]

Ah well that's different to the point I made.

No doubt there's currently a lull in standard which has resulted in reduced gates (that's nothing new).

But when the team is still getting huge crowds for irrelevant games, it's far from dead.

 

[Neath_Jack]

Sport is cyclic, and Welsh sport fans are massive drama queens.

And experts.

You have good phases, and absolute shite phases.

And as for the success of Swansea City, having any bearing on whether an individual likes rugby, complete and utter nonsense. There's this thing that happens where people like and follow both sports.

 

[Skippyjack]

I'll be honest, if there was a choice between a football or rugby game, it's football every time.. I watch Wales and enjoy it when in the world cup or six nations.. I've watched the Ospreys once live and it was 0-0 at half time.. plus it was behind the posts on the lower tier, it put me off watching them again