Women's Rugby World Cup

[riocard911]

Thing is, whether they refute or dispute what's been said, their whole response ignores that the women think the processes are flawed in the first place.

And eh...feeling ignored was kind of the reason they took such drastic action! It's not like this is out of the blue either so you'd think the IRFU would have been ready to listen. In fact they should have reached out to solve the issues after the recent games, I'm guessing they didn't and that's why the current and former players felt they had to act.

That's my understanding too. They got tired of the pat on the head / little women treatment and have decided to make their annoyance publicly known by going to the government. I support them 100%!

I can't support them 100%. I don't 100% know what they are looking for.

Not being given the bloomin' runaround, it seems to me!

[LeRouxIsPHat]

And did anyone watch the provincial matches? The standard of rugby was very poor. It was in no way an Elite performance. I have seen minis at half time in the RDS tackle better, pass better and understand the game better. But hey maybe the minis have been playing for more than a year or two.

Do you not think that maybe the game might develop better if things like that didn’t happen? Maybe interpros would have been back sooner, maybe the players would have played better, maybe more people would be encouraged to take up the game, maybe more people would go to the games etc etc.

The last line is very snide I have to say. I really find it odd that people seem to be against the women here, what is it about what the IRFU have done that makes people think the players have been given every opportunity and been the ones to mess up?

From a fairly basic point of view, I’ve never failed to be impressed by the likes of Coghlan and Cantwell, but have never been impressed by Nucifora or Eddy. I don’t have the hate for Nucifora that some do but I honestly don’t know how you could look at those two sides and pick the male one.

There’s a real “shut up and dribble” attitude around IMO.

[Dave Cahill]

Professional players can isolate and take precautions that amateurs can't easily.

Hence why there were different rules that were only practical for defined elite sportspeople. If you did a shift on a Covid ward before training then maybe sharing a dressing room ain't a good idea.

Its a valid point, about the difference between amateur and professional, but the day after Leinster and Ulster players had to change behind Wesley, Meath and Dublin ladies footballers were able to change in the Croke Park changing rooms. The day after the day that went down in infamy, as it were, regarding Connacht and Ulster, Camogs from Galway and Cork were able to change in the Croke Park changing rooms. Why? Because the GAA, LGFA and CA went to bat with the government to have their senior female representative players classed as Elite sportspeople in a way that the IRFU couldn't, wouldn't, or didn't want to (delete according to taste)

[the spoofer]

Can we stop pretending that womens provincial rugby is elite? Ignore the physicality. Skill levels are equivalent to J2 at best.

[Dave Cahill]

Can we stop pretending that womens provincial rugby is elite? Ignore the physicality. Skill levels are equivalent to J2 at best.

Womens provincial rugby is the highest level of the womens game domestically. Of course it's elite.

What does it matter what the levels in other sports or classifications are, women don't play mens J2 rugby.

[riocard911]

Darce gave Nucifora a decent verbal hiding on OTB last night. The whole discussion between himself, Joe Molloy and Ruaidhri O'Connor was highly informative. The IRFU's reply to the ladies' letter isn't a good look, I have to say. More of the deaf ear and condescending to boot.

[Mookie]

Some of the snide comments about the standard of women's "elite'" rugby players just proves the point the women are making. It is a result of the lack of interest shown by the IRFU in progressing the women's game at elite level.

[riocard911]

IRFU not covering itself in glory on the media front, see for example today's IT:

https://www.irishtimes.com/sport/rugby/ ... -1.4754501

[blockhead]

Some of the snide comments about the standard of women's "elite'" rugby players just proves the point the women are making. It is a result of the lack of interest shown by the IRFU in progressing the women's game at elite level.

No snide comments on here about the standard of womens rugby in Ireland.
The AIL Div 1 can be very poor fare at times, a lot of the time played by Women who have just taken up the game, switched from basketball or gah.
If you look at the Ireland squad, only 3 of 4 of the younger members have played rugby form a young age, I'm serious. Some have come back to rugby having played it as a kid, but most it seems have come from other sports and ended up as internationals after a short period of time.
The IRFU focus has to be on the young girls, build the numbers in the established clubs, create pathways for continued involvement in the sport from club to college to the AIL.
If you look at the Enland team from last season, they all played rugby from U7s, U8s apart from one girl who was an international weightlifter until she was persuaded to give rugby a go in her early 20s.
If we want to do this right it has to be a 7-10 year project.

[paddyor]

That's my understanding too. They got tired of the pat on the head / little women treatment and have decided to make their annoyance publicly known by going to the government. I support them 100%!

I can't support them 100%. I don't 100% know what they are looking for.

Not being given the bloomin' runaround, it seems to me!

So like blockhead you're not actually sure then?

[riocard911]

I can't support them 100%. I don't 100% know what they are looking for.

Not being given the bloomin' runaround, it seems to me!

So like blockhead you're not actually sure then?

Unfortunately not; David Nucifora refused to let me read the relevant reviews.

[Morf]

No snide comments on here about the standard of womens rugby in Ireland.
The AIL Div 1 can be very poor fare at times, a lot of the time played by Women who have just taken up the game, switched from basketball or gah.
If you look at the Ireland squad, only 3 of 4 of the younger members have played rugby form a young age, I'm serious. Some have come back to rugby having played it as a kid, but most it seems have come from other sports and ended up as internationals after a short period of time.
The IRFU focus has to be on the young girls, build the numbers in the established clubs, create pathways for continued involvement in the sport from club to college to the AIL.
If you look at the Enland team from last season, they all played rugby from U7s, U8s apart from one girl who was an international weightlifter until she was persuaded to give rugby a go in her early 20s.
If we want to do this right it has to be a 7-10 year project.

I would hope those making the most noise about gender disparity have some thought for those putting their money where their mouth is in terms of time and commitment to girls' and women's' grassroots rugby. I had some period of involvement but the constant narrative about their mistreatment, under funding and mismanagement is quite disheartening for those (majority men in my anecdotal experience) who are trying to progress things.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

No snide comments on here about the standard of womens rugby in Ireland.
The AIL Div 1 can be very poor fare at times, a lot of the time played by Women who have just taken up the game, switched from basketball or gah.
If you look at the Ireland squad, only 3 of 4 of the younger members have played rugby form a young age, I'm serious. Some have come back to rugby having played it as a kid, but most it seems have come from other sports and ended up as internationals after a short period of time.
The IRFU focus has to be on the young girls, build the numbers in the established clubs, create pathways for continued involvement in the sport from club to college to the AIL.
If you look at the Enland team from last season, they all played rugby from U7s, U8s apart from one girl who was an international weightlifter until she was persuaded to give rugby a go in her early 20s.
If we want to do this right it has to be a 7-10 year project.

I would hope those making the most noise about gender disparity have some thought for those putting their money where their mouth is in terms of time and commitment to girls' and women's' grassroots rugby. I had some period of involvement but the constant narrative about their mistreatment, under funding and mismanagement is quite disheartening for those (majority men in my anecdotal experience) who are trying to progress things.

But isn’t the point that the current and ex players feel like the efforts of everyone involved are being wasted somewhat by the people at the top?

I have to say this really reminds me of the FAI. Now I’m not saying theres anything dodgy like that but everyone knew it was being run terribly and if players had called it out like the rugby team have done then I don’t think anyone would have been surprised and said it was about time something was done. I know the women’s football team did speak up but I think that was more about basic stuff like being given proper kit rather than the overall running of the women’s game, but I may be wrong on that.

[fourthirtythree]

It's not like the FAI who were mismanaging the cash cow - men's senior team- and everything under that was for sh!t. The IRFU has higher standards of financial management and stewardship. They just don't seem to have taken women's rugby as seriously. Maybe there wasn't a voice in there shouting for it like there was for 7s. Which while it is a participation sport here isn't exactly a huge draw.

[LeRouxIsPHat]

It's not like the FAI who were mismanaging the cash cow - men's senior team- and everything under that was for sh!t. The IRFU has higher standards of financial management and stewardship. They just don't seem to have taken women's rugby as seriously. Maybe there wasn't a voice in there shouting for it like there was for 7s. Which while it is a participation sport here isn't exactly a huge draw.

Again, I’m not saying the IRFU has been dodgy at all but both require(d) management changes (IMO) and drastic action for it to happen and to me the former has been clear for a while, and the latter should be clear when you hear the concerns or see how the union reacted back in November and then on Monday too.

[the spoofer]

It's not like the FAI who were mismanaging the cash cow - men's senior team- and everything under that was for sh!t. The IRFU has higher standards of financial management and stewardship. They just don't seem to have taken women's rugby as seriously. Maybe there wasn't a voice in there shouting for it like there was for 7s. Which while it is a participation sport here isn't exactly a huge draw.

There is no shortage of people shouting for womens rugby. The Railway Union debacle springs to mind. Why are we only hearing of the damage caused to a hotel by the womens team now? If that was a mens team it would have been front page news.

[Dave Cahill]

Because minor damage to some hotel furniture isn't actually a story no matter how hard you try to spin it? Take that to an editor and you'll spend the next year reporting on feline fashion shows. They story was reported on three weeks ago to almost complete and utter indifference. Now we all know that the Irish media hates reporting on anything that could even be vaguely considered 'a scandal'...oh wait, no, they love it, anyone remember a week of 'man buys nice jacket in sale'?

[the spoofer]

I see there are calls to withhold funding from IRFU.

I suggest that a separate Irish Womens Rugby Football Union be established that is self financing and self regulatory. The IRFU should support the establishment through a contribution for 5 years. There should also be an agreement to co-use of all rugby grounds where possible. A % of all international tickets should be allocated to the IWRFU based on % of membership at a certain date.

There are numerous precedents for this split and it would pave the way for the removal of the blockages placed on the womens game by the IRFU.

[Oldschoolsocks]

I see there are calls to withhold funding from IRFU.

I suggest that a separate Irish Womens Rugby Football Union be established that is self financing and self regulatory. The IRFU should support the establishment through a contribution for 5 years. There should also be an agreement to co-use of all rugby grounds where possible. A % of all international tickets should be allocated to the IWRFU based on % of membership at a certain date.

There are numerous precedents for this split and it would pave the way for the removal of the blockages placed on the womens game by the IRFU.

works for the GAA

[the spoofer]

I see there are calls to withhold funding from IRFU.

I suggest that a separate Irish Womens Rugby Football Union be established that is self financing and self regulatory. The IRFU should support the establishment through a contribution for 5 years. There should also be an agreement to co-use of all rugby grounds where possible. A % of all international tickets should be allocated to the IWRFU based on % of membership at a certain date.

There are numerous precedents for this split and it would pave the way for the removal of the blockages placed on the womens game by the IRFU.

works for the GAA

LPGA & PGA