This six nations wotsit

[life on mars]

As Jason Perry once famously said: rugby internationals in Cardiff have become the national "day out". Says it all really.

An occasion of coming together,with a sporty thing in the way,used as a ritual gathering place,I get it and happy folk enjoy it ,think i'm getting old.

[William Treseder]

Never mind. The likes of Bluetit and all the other rugby haters on here can all cum in there y-fronts on Saturday when Wales get humped. 😊

[Dublinblue]

I have experienced both sides of the Wales games , befroe it was commercially controlled, working class folk had a real affordable chance to go ,they were very knowledgeable , would sing for 80 minutes, advise you of the rules , name every squad player, now it a false environment with very few real ruby fans in the ground , tickets are sold to people who think they are going out on a news years eve type party .

I'm sure there are scattering of real rugby fans in the ground , and some may even attend and support their local club , most however are priced out of this piped music circus.

Its an occasion rather than a sporting event now

Indeed.

And if I may add my whinge - here in Ireland, international rugby has become like the X-Factor. Ref makes a perfectly correct decision penalising the home side, and the crowd boo. No manners, no respect, no understanding of the game. FFS.

[PerryJason]

Well, I'm none the wiser. That said it sounds awful and we over here are glad we don't have to put up with it.

[Dr Lecter]

Well, I'm none the wiser.

An achievement in itself.

[cardiff55]

Totally agree with all of this.I went a few times in the 70s and it was full of rugby fans, 95% men I guess. There was a lot of drinking but generally OK. Nowadays, even though I haven't been for years and bas my comments on watching, the TV, there seems to be lots of women in daffodil/cowboy hats and as you say people who are just out on the p**s for the day. There were surprisingly some comments from the Wales Online after the Autumn games by some women who said they'd never got again , as they took their kids and thought the whole experience was not the right environment for children. How times have changed. I don't mind rugby but I hate all the international crap that follows it all around these days. TV are just as bad.

Real rugby fans support their local team and go, like we do down the City, on a regular basis. They're fine and they end up being the ones who can't get tickets for Wales games. Have you seen the attendance figures for the Regional games, more on a par with Newport County's attendances.

[PerryJason]

An achievement in itself.

says he who cuts and pastes other posts well done!

[wildbill]

It's not about intellect for me. Far from it.

I dislike the fact that Rugby, at least in these here parts, used to be the game of the working man but isn't any more. To get to watch Wales v England in the arms park, you either had to be a member of a rugby club or get very very lucky. It's not anymore, it's an event. And anyone can get a ticket if they've got deep enough tickets or a vague connection with someone who wants their business and invites them to their box. And don't get me started on the cowboy hats, daffodil and sheep heads.

The rule changes over the years have ruined it for me. Lifting in the line-out used to be a penalty, players needed skill and athleticism to time their jump right and win the ball. These days, players strap handles to their legs ffs. If you needed to bring a sub on, a doctor used to have to declare a player unfit to continue. Now, you change half the fecking team with 20 minutes to go. And what's all this bonus point bollocks?

I generally dislike the media treatment of the "event. John Inverdale and Eddie Butler in particular. I dislike the fireworks, I dislike the corporate snouts in the trough.

I used to like the game, hell I used to play it, but what we'll see on TV this Saturday bears little or no relation to the game I used to watch (and play) in the 70's.

This for me as well

[Dr Lecter]

says he who cuts and pastes other posts well done!

Thank you.

Glad you liked it.

[TH63]

says he who cuts and pastes other posts well done!

Come to think of it, you never see ***** and Lector in the same place at the same time