Are the big Irish teams just like the English clubs CORKeR; recruiting players from all over, or do they still retain a hint of being 'locally representative? Would someone from Munster happily play for Leinster if asked? They seem to have done a big of damage to the Welsh and Scottish games with this 'regionalisation' lark.
Yeah SB, as the game has become more and more professional, southern hemisphere players have started to ply their trade in Ireland (not a bad thing in my mind). There is still a strong allegiance to the provinces, in that you tend to get Munster lads playing with Munster and Leinster eejits playing with Leinster!!
I pin my colours to the Munster mast too. I've more rugby shirts than QPR ones and that's saying something!
I get to a few Quins games a season with my rugby playing mates at work. It's a great day out. A few beers, match and post-match entertainment in the bar. We then stumble back to Kingston-Upon-Thames to continue the day. I also used to work on the Wasps games when they played at Loftus Road, so used to follow them back then. But I have to admit to enjoy watching Toulon out of the club sides.
Its Leinster for me. What's the craic with the Heineken Cup next year? Have the English Clubs officially pulled out?
Leinster through and through. Only manage to get to the very odd game though. Love the honesty and passion in rugby. Rugby and GAA have left me never applauding effort in a football match. I see that as a minimum. It's why I didn't rate Mackie and struggle with Barton. Take away the effort and there's very little left.
That's exactly why I'm enjoying watching it so much, even at my son's U18 level. These kids leave everything on the pitch every week, then head straight to the bar, where I'm waiting in the warm.
England playing fast but naive rugby. I would expect Ireland with more experience to nick the game Will be a bloody good match i reckon
Really? Now that does surprise me. I forgot to mention the main event, and I side with you on this one Wubbs. It'll be close though.
What time's the KO. I'm at the Charlton game, so hopefully It's about fiveish so we can catch the game in the boozer afterwards.
As I'm from Dublin originally I of course follow Leinster. And as I lived in London for many many years and I'm Irish I also follow London Irish in the Premiership. Not to the point of actually going to see them but enough to swear a few expletives if they lose. And if they were ever to play each other Leinster will ALWAYS be my 1st choice.
didn't Leinster play London Irish 2 seasons ago? they beat them too if memory serves correctly ( often doesn't!)
I make it Munster 2 Leinster 3 at the moment, and there definitely seems to be stronger feeling in Ireland about this! Right lads, I'm prepared to nail my colours to an Irish mast, will make my reading of the results more interesting. I'm a bit of a mongrel, sure I have some Irish blood in me somewhere (along with London, West Country, Swiss Italian and, ahem, French), but have no idea where. Supporting a rugby football team may help me decide....right convince me, who should I follow. I'm more interested in heart and history than impressive statistics and trophies.......
Connaught. Plenty of heart. Not much history but they're plucky underdogs a bit like QPR were in the early 90's. Plus they beat Toulouse in France in the Heineken Cup a couple of months back.
That's a really good call Swords. The IRFU use Connaught as a development province for the other 'bigger' provinces. Young Irish players then get plenty of competitive games in the Rabo 12, Amlin Cup and more recently the Heineken Cup. It means that at 22-23-24 they are battle hardened and ready to step up to the Leinster, Munster or Ulster challenge. For pure heart it has to be Munster, for skill it's Leinster
Well, having looked at a map I now realise that I was getting confused between counties (are you sure you have enough of them?) and provinces. And also that I have had excellent times in all 4 provinces over the years, but several days eating, drinking and golfing to excess in and around Connemara 20 years ago stand out, so Connaught is a good call (also seems the only neutral-ish choice to remain persona grata with the majority of Irish R's). I notice we are at the foot of the Pro-12. Climb above a couple of the Welsh teams and I will be very happy. Treviso on 1st March, I'm getting excited already.......
