Summertime Rugby Season

[blockhead]

https://www.the42.ie/rfu-rugby-summer-s ... 6-Jun2020/

Increasing talk of moving the club season to a summertime schedule. All dressed up as a common sense move but really it's aim is to suit the Tri nations I suspect.
Could work in the likes of France and the UK but here?
We'd be pitted against the GAA every weekend and they have been doing this for over a hundred years. Big crossover of fans between both sports, more so outside Dublin.
The rugby coverage in Irish press is massive compared to the UK, not much else going on in the middle of winter. During the race for Sam rugby might be pushed further and further away from the backpage.
Risky move.

[Ruckedtobits]

Can't see why the Schools and Club game will have to move anywhere. The schools game is built around the academic year and no Headmaster is going to want to see a major distraction to the important examination periods.

Club rugby is built around volunteers who are parents in the main. They will not want to have the flow of the year totally disrupted i.e. holidays etc. Players in Ireland know just how different the game is played on rutted concrete pitches having had to go through a pre-season in November and December.

Elite players on perfect pitches or 4G surfaces may be a different ball game but in Ireland they will take the risk of pitting themselves against GAA for full stadiums in the business end of the season - August to October. Playing conditions will be decent from April to end of June but rugby in the south of France from July through August, lethal pitches & heat and lacking crowds in August when the country closes down and everybody departs for vacation? Personally, I doubt it.

[ronk]

Rugby is a Friday night and Saturday sport. GAA is heavily Sunday biased and there are a lot of different fans once you get outside of the 6N/All Ireland levels. Friday night games/BBQs would be epic.

That said, the logic per the article is way off. Part of the allure of the 6N are the Valentines Day/Patrick’s Day fixtures. They haven’t even gone into details.

Professional rugby would change a lot as a summer game, even here.

[cormac]

Could be about to get a limited view this Autumn/Winter when rugby and the GAA championships go head-to-head.

[wixfjord]

I think it would definitely change the game. There's a big difference in how rugby is played between December and May, and it would almost certainly suit teams who can play more expansively.

I've said it before on another thread, I think it would be a great boost for our crowds. Sunny Friday/Sat evenings in the RDS are bound to attract a much bigger walk-up crowd than getting lashed on in the North/South stand in November. Particularly if we can improve the corporate facilities it would be a big draw for post work events etc.

Cross over with the GAA is a legitimate concern albeit, especially with the GAA championships finishing in August. It might mean we prioritise Friday night games.

[Morf]

I think it would definitely change the game. There's a big difference in how rugby is played between December and May, and it would almost certainly suit teams who can play more expansively.

I've said it before on another thread, I think it would be a great boost for our crowds. Sunny Friday/Sat evenings in the RDS are bound to attract a much bigger walk-up crowd than getting lashed on in the North/South stand in November. Particularly if we can improve the corporate facilities it would be a big draw for post work events etc.

Cross over with the GAA is a legitimate concern albeit, especially with the GAA championships finishing in August. It might mean we prioritise Friday night games.

And you manage burn out of the most talented adolescent athletes how?

[blockhead]

Can't see why the Schools and Club game will have to move anywhere. The schools game is built around the academic year and no Headmaster is going to want to see a major distraction to the important examination periods.

Club rugby is built around volunteers who are parents in the main. They will not want to have the flow of the year totally disrupted i.e. holidays etc. Players in Ireland know just how different the game is played on rutted concrete pitches having had to go through a pre-season in November and December.

Elite players on perfect pitches or 4G surfaces may be a different ball game but in Ireland they will take the risk of pitting themselves against GAA for full stadiums in the business end of the season - August to October. Playing conditions will be decent from April to end of June but rugby in the south of France from July through August, lethal pitches & heat and lacking crowds in August when the country closes down and everybody departs for vacation? Personally, I doubt it.

Problem is that if everyone else says yes then we have to too.

[ronk]

Can't see why the Schools and Club game will have to move anywhere. The schools game is built around the academic year and no Headmaster is going to want to see a major distraction to the important examination periods.

Club rugby is built around volunteers who are parents in the main. They will not want to have the flow of the year totally disrupted i.e. holidays etc. Players in Ireland know just how different the game is played on rutted concrete pitches having had to go through a pre-season in November and December.

Elite players on perfect pitches or 4G surfaces may be a different ball game but in Ireland they will take the risk of pitting themselves against GAA for full stadiums in the business end of the season - August to October. Playing conditions will be decent from April to end of June but rugby in the south of France from July through August, lethal pitches & heat and lacking crowds in August when the country closes down and everybody departs for vacation? Personally, I doubt it.

Problem is that if everyone else says yes then we have to too.

England’s issue with cricket is as relevant as our issue with GAA. I don’t think League had the same situation.

[The Doc]

Problem is that if everyone else says yes then we have to too.

Would it not only apply to professional / international rugby. Domestic game season isn't governed by World Rugby is it?

Club / schools rugby in UK and France would have the same issue. Trying to get people to play during the summer with school holidays etc would be a problem everywhere

[JB1973]

Can't see why the Schools and Club game will have to move anywhere. The schools game is built around the academic year and no Headmaster is going to want to see a major distraction to the important examination periods.

Club rugby is built around volunteers who are parents in the main. They will not want to have the flow of the year totally disrupted i.e. holidays etc. Players in Ireland know just how different the game is played on rutted concrete pitches having had to go through a pre-season in November and December.

Elite players on perfect pitches or 4G surfaces may be a different ball game but in Ireland they will take the risk of pitting themselves against GAA for full stadiums in the business end of the season - August to October. Playing conditions will be decent from April to end of June but rugby in the south of France from July through August, lethal pitches & heat and lacking crowds in August when the country closes down and everybody departs for vacation? Personally, I doubt it.

Problem is that if everyone else says yes then we have to too.

England’s issue with cricket is as relevant as our issue with GAA. I don’t think League had the same situation.

Grass roots Cricket is massive in Yorkshire , at least as big as in any union stronghold in England

Don't some amateur rl seasons still run in the winter?

Summer rugby has pros and cons if it means saving the game , it's certainly an option I would consider . However if we don't get any rugby until march/april who knows what will be left of the pro game to save especially if we don't even live gates by then.