I haven't posted much about rugby here at all over the past year, well actually maybe once? I've covered soccer, golf, boxing, athletics and even volleyball, but not a whole lot about rugby. If I'm ever to talk about rugby though, it's likely to be around this time of year though because for the Irish international rugby team, there are basically two trophies up for grabs. They are the world cup which is held every four years and the six nations which is held annually in February and March where Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, France and Italy go head to head. Every team plays each other and the with the most points at the end is crowned champions.
Rugby is a physical game of course and when I think of Physical sports, I can't help thinking of Hurling, so this post will be dedicated to the ancient tribalistic game of Hurling. It's been at least 3 hours since I talked about it on Hive! Ha ha, that's a little in joke for @edprivat... This post will of course be dedicated to Rugby and I'll simply reference Hurling 8 or 9 times to make my point 😁
Rugby Respect
So the auld egg ball game is one I never got into as a youngster, I was drawn more to soccer and the GAA, but some of my friends played rugby and it always held a sort of prestige. Looking back, as we sometimes tend to do, I think rugby would have been a good sport to get into as a young lad. It teaches you things which the likes of soccer never really can in it's current guise anyway. That is respect. I think the photo below sums it up really. You have massive units of men, many carrying eighteen stone of muscle around the pitch. Most bring aggression, athleticism and skill to their craft, but one thing they all bring is respect, both for their opposition and for the referee.
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The respect for the referee is further exemplified in this image taken during a European game between Leinster and Ospreys. Even questioning the referee's decision or talking to him or her with any level of disrespect would quickly lead to an early shower or a sin binning.
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Soccer Disrespect
Let's compare this now to soccer for a second. Again, let's let some images do the talking. Here we have arguably the best player of the last decade, with the exception maybe of Messi and also former Man United skipper Roy Keane, one of the best players of his era. Are they showing any degree of respect here for the referee?
Not a bit of it. In my eyes, the powers that be must weed out this insolence and downright disrespect and dish out red cards for this kind of carry on. I don't care if the players are the best in the world, if anything that should make them know better. The problem is the game itself has allowed this to fester over many years, so they are the ones that need to fix it.
Even Worse
Allowing this deficit of respect to accumulate, leads to scenes like the one below, where Paulo Di Canio not only verbally abuses the ref, but shoves him to the ground as well. That is what happens when respect is removed. Is this the kind of exampe we want to show our kids or are other sports like rugby better for role models?
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The answer here of course is obvious and I think if I was a kid again, it may well be rugby that I got into as a kid, rather than soccer.
In fairness though, part of that is because kids growing up today in Ireland have a realistic chance to represent our local Rugby team Connacht who play at the highest level in Europe. You see rugby turned professional in 1995 and that suddenly meant you could earn a living playing the sport and still live in Ireland.
Previously most kids dreamed of the big sporting stage in England's top flight for soccer. Back then, talented Irish soccer players would have to travel to England, aged as young as 15, if they wanted to play professionally and 97% of those who travelled over never made the grade. They would arrive home in their early twenties with no education and filled with disappointment that their dreams never came through.
At least with the rugby, if you showed great talent and potential as a youngster, you could remain living at home and still get your education, while also trying to follow the dream of sporting greatness.
Add to this the fact that rugby helps to foster respect in players from Under 6 right the way up to the top players in the world. Soccer has lots of catching up to do in this regard. It needs to be done in a top down fashion though with Fifa taking the lead. Should it happen? Absolutely. Will it happen? Probably not.
Respect costs nothing but adds massive value to sport in my opinion, not least because sports greatest are the role models that our children look towards these days. Do we want them to throw their toys out and scream in the face of authority or give people the respect that they deserve?
That's it for now.
The photos used in this post are not my own and were sourced at the following URLs:
https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/paolo-di-canio-push-referee-dies-6wlwdxdbv
I feel part of it the way soccer players are idolised hence giving them over inflated egos - In rugby there is very little ego. There is none of the "punk" mentality that seems to pervade soccer.
Yep, can't argue with that my friend. Not all of them, but definitely lots of them are overpaid, arrogant and privileged and think themselves above referees and most others in society.
This is a very good select to talk on, and your analysis is so accurate. It is my observation also, when I look to sports, football and rugby.
Although, Rugby is much more violent sport, same time rugby players come in more physical contacts and sometimes battling out for better control,they seem to have more respect on match officials.
But, hell no to football.They lack in manners and codes of conduct, as you said, outburst of anger and attacking the referee. Thats terribly insane!!
Hope they would learn and reshape in the future.. Good one of sports write. I acknowledge.
Hi there, thanks for those insightful comments. Hopefully Fifa take the lead here and empower the referees so that they don't have to accept this behaviour from people more akin to overpaid children than footballers.
Yeah,that is also true.Footballers without manners are paid the million dollars, but thats shocking to see.Yet thats reality. :)
Great post on rugby and nice work on mixing things up. I did a post on tennis a few weeks back and enjoyed mixing it up. I think you've motivated me to do that a little bit more. I enjoyed rugby so much as a kid. The Australia, NZ, South African competition was the Super 12 back when I was watching every game. Unfortunately I grew out of love of the game, more because I prefer Rugby League. Also I'm a bit disinterested because the disparity of rugby in the Pacific Islands but the gap seems like its closing a bit. There is a new team called Moana Pasifika which is based in New Zealand but made up of Pacific Island players.
Well there you go...thanks for motivating me for an idea for a post this week. One about Moana Pasifika!
Ah nice one man, delighted to have helped you get those creative juices flowing, I've never heard of Moana Pasifika actually, so looking forward to reading up on this one.
Some serious games between NZ, Australia and SA over the years and great to see Argentina involved now too, which is huge for their development. I'm excited about the rugby Ireland are playing at the moment, We have France away next and if we can win that one, we have a great chance to win the Six Nations this year.
I'm about to post! Out of curiosity do all teams have Pacific Islanders? I just read up on Bundee Aki!!! Wow didn't know we had a Samoan playing for the Irish that's amazing. I know Manu Tuilagi for England too
Sorry dude, just seeing this now! Yes, lots of Pacific islanders playing in Ireland. Once they have played for one of our provinces for 3 years, they qualify for the National team. Bundee plays for my local team in Connacht and has legend status here in Galway!
England have Joe Cokanasiga and Vunipola brothers as well.
Wow didn't know about Bundee. Cannot wait to see him play now! Any Pacific Islanders outside rugby in Ireland?
I’m pretty sure in the Scotland v England game yesterday I heard one of the players refer to the ref as “sir”.
Ya I often hear players calling the ref sir in rugby matches..
I've heard at soccer matches too mind you, but always prefaced by Toss!
LOL!
You know the very fact that the rugby ref mics can be broadcast on TV and the football ones can't tells you all you need to know...
I remember the reffing days when you spent 5 minutes before kick off with both sides covering what you found acceptable and what was punishable. Players always knew where they stood and somehting FIFA should encourage as there is no excuse for this behavior. Rugby players seem to be a different class above many other sports and that is just a general observation as many are professionals like doctors and lawyers.
Who would want to be a soccer referee these days? Such a thankless job and the amount of abuse they take is mad and gets worse as you go down the leagues.
I think if you took rugby referees and put them into football matches things would change drastically. Names meaning nothing as everyone is equal and it is all about a lack of education with no discipline. Problem is the players have no respect and football refs don't deserve it either which is a problem. Look at the standard of referees today compared to that bald guy from 10 years ago who had respect. No one messed with him as the players knew the outcome.
Man, that's mad you mention Pierluigi Collina! I just finished typing about him in another comment. Ya, he was not to be messed with and got the respect of the players for sure.
I'd love to see a match where they let a rugby ref take charge, if it was wasn't for the minimum players rule, it would end with a 5 a side! 😁
See it is down to the referee as an individual as it is possible. The problem with football refs is most of them have never played the sport and look like nerds with whistles. The VAR thing is crazy as if you were in charge of a match you would want to check the screen for yourself every time. I wouldn't leave it up to someone else sitting in a studio. For me pop it on the big screen and decide immediately. Include the fans and players in your decision making as it is about making the right calls. Games have to be fair and played to the rules of the game and nothing else.
@ablaze: Let's talk about Rugby!
(starts talking about hurling) 🤣
I think soccer players are allowed to shout at referees, because they pay them enough money already. Soccer divas!
Rugby is a gentleman sport, sprinkled with a dash of CTE. I would love to get my boy into it, he isn't into contact sports at all haha; or any sports but riding his bike for that matter.
Good post brother.
Respect, is all about the way you let others treat you. It's a little bit like governments and the people, just a conversation for another time haha
Soccer divas 🤣🤣 funny cause it's true! Did you ever see this one? Funniest thing you'll see all day if you've not seen it before!
Yes. Good way of looking at it 👌
Hahah Ozzyman is always hilarious!
Sometimes the referee's personality plays a big role in establishing respect and discipline within the stadium or not
Yes that's true alright, I never saw anyone ever give Pierluigi Collina any shit! Still though, it's up to Fifa to address the issue and bring more respect to our game, the diving and dishonesty is a by product also.
Athletes must respect the referee no matter what. You may disagree but you are making a serious mistake when you lose respect.
Yes absolutely, respect is so important.
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