Irish hopes dented despite victory over USA at Rugby World Cup
Posted on Monday, September 12, 2011 at 09:52 AM
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| USA head coach Eddie O'Sullivan |
Unless you live in the western states my guess is that you probably weren't watching because (a) the game started at 2am (EDT) and (b) it's rugby, which more than likely is not your game. No, if you were watching the Irish play football over the weekend it was probably to watch Notre Dame blow another one against Michigan.
That debacle at Ann Arbor on Saturday has led to wailing, gnashing of teeth and calls for the coach's head. Well, it's not far off that here with the Irish rugby team despite the fact that Ireland won Sunday's game. The final score was 22-10, which is not good enough for Irish fans in a game against the "minnows" from the USA.
The American team is coached by Irishman Eddie O'Sullivan, who was the Irish team's very successful coach until he was basically forced to resign after the Irish team disappointed at the last World Cup. O'Sullivan's presence added to the Irish fans' interest in the American team, but still they expected a more convincing win than a 12 point margin.
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That Ireland is considered a 'power' and America 'minnows' is bizarre, but that's the way it is when it comes to rugby. Rugby is not big in America or in most countries, despite the fact they're now playing a "World Cup."
Really only in Ireland, Britain, France, New Zealand, Australia, South Africa and in the South Pacific is rugby a major sport. The Rugby World Cup, like baseball's World Baseball Classic, has to pad out the tournament with a lot of teams that have no business playing in such a competition and no hope of winning anything. America's one of those teams. So is Canada.
None of that matters to Ireland's rugby fans. They were hoping for great things, at least a spot in the semifinals, although they were also afraid that the team was not really as good they hoped it might be.
The Irish team hadn't won any of their warm-up games, although they didn't play terribly, but Sunday's poor showing has Irish fans convinced that the team is not really good enough. The fact that those watching on television in Ireland had to get out of their beds at 6:30 on a Sunday morning had only helped darken the mood.
There is a lot of pressure on the Irish players to come good at the World Cup. There have been too many disappointments at this tournament in the past. It's probably easier to play for the US team, knowing that 307m Americans slept peacefully through their opening round loss.
{By the way, although as I've said above rugby is very much a minor sport in America, Saturday's Scotsman reported on the rugby players who were killed on September 11, 2001.}
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Ajreaper | Sep 14, 2011, 01:16 PM EDT
My guess is it will pick up interest over time (it was actually televised here on a major network which I do not recall happening previously) and there are certainly many, many athletes who cannot make the cut as college or pro football players that could turn to rugby to fill their need to compete- many said soccer here would never catch on because of our love of American football and it certainly has. Rugby has the same opportunity and granted it will take time but if there are a group of driven individuals willing to fight the good fight on behalf of Rugby in 30 years Ireland may be happy to offer the USA a good game rather then being disappointed with a victory.
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jamieLM | Sep 14, 2011, 11:28 AM EDT
The Yank - I agree with you that some American football players will find their way to rugby if they can make some money at it. We have athletes playing on overseas teams now, like basketball. I just don't think rugby is going to catch on as a sport in America or that very many Americans have much interest in following it. You've written an interesting article and I've learned something new. Kudos to you.
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TheYank | Sep 14, 2011, 09:33 AM EDT
jamieLM
I wouldn't argue with a word you've written. All I was figuring was that there's pretty good money to be made playing rugby these days and there must be some football players who would be willing to give rugby a go, if they knew about it. I suspect that someday some ambitious teams from Europe or the southern hemisphere is going to recruit Americans to play for them. Maybe that's too much of a stretch, but I can't help thinking that among all those thousands of college football players for whom the NFL (& CFL even) are not options that rugby might be the way to go.
I wouldn't argue with a word you've written. All I was figuring was that there's pretty good money to be made playing rugby these days and there must be some football players who would be willing to give rugby a go, if they knew about it. I suspect that someday some ambitious teams from Europe or the southern hemisphere is going to recruit Americans to play for them. Maybe that's too much of a stretch, but I can't help thinking that among all those thousands of college football players for whom the NFL (& CFL even) are not options that rugby might be the way to go.
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jamieLM | Sep 13, 2011, 07:20 PM EDT
The Yank,
The majority of Americans don't know beans about rugby and most of them don't care. Am. kids have been playing soccer for more than 30 yrs. Still, most Americans don't watch soccer on TV, unless the U.S. is in some special title game or in the Olympics. Even then, it's still a small audience compared to the audience for other national sports. Fri. night is high school football night. Sat. and Sun. finds millions of Americans watching college and pro football teams. They pack enormous stadiums and watch the games at home on TV or in the sports bars. Tail-gating is an important part of the pre-game and after-the-game football culture. Even the big stores in the malls have their TVs tuned into the games. I really don't see rugby catching on anytime soon with the Am. public, even if Am. football players join rugby teams because they play overseas and there's not much press or TV coverage, if any, for these games, let alone interest in rugby when we have our American football at every level. I could be wrong, but that's how I see it now. I think most Americans think rugby belongs to Europe and we have our own brand of football.
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TheYank | Sep 13, 2011, 06:04 PM EDT
jamesie,
Funny enough, I always thought that Americans would thrive at rugby - once enough of them got wind of it and the money to be made playing the game. I mean, after all, it's not that different from "American" football. The athletic abilities that would make someone a good linebacker or running back or even tight end or free safety would be pretty applicable in rugby.
So, maybe you're right that the US rugby team could be heading towards parity with the more established powers in the game. I mean, there have to be plenty of good college football players who are just don't fit football, but who are perfectly built for rugby.
By the way, I'm glad that game's over so I can get on with rooting for Ireland.
Funny enough, I always thought that Americans would thrive at rugby - once enough of them got wind of it and the money to be made playing the game. I mean, after all, it's not that different from "American" football. The athletic abilities that would make someone a good linebacker or running back or even tight end or free safety would be pretty applicable in rugby.
So, maybe you're right that the US rugby team could be heading towards parity with the more established powers in the game. I mean, there have to be plenty of good college football players who are just don't fit football, but who are perfectly built for rugby.
By the way, I'm glad that game's over so I can get on with rooting for Ireland.
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jamesie | Sep 13, 2011, 10:54 AM EDT
Good to see a U.S. person's perspective on the great game of rugby. My own view on the Ireland/U.S. game is that Ireland won a tough game.Even though the U.S. Eagles are relatively unknown on the world rugby stage, the team consists of superb athletes in top shape.The Irish forwards played top notch rugby but were held to 22 points by a great defensive effort from the Eagles. Not so long ago the U.S. soccer team was not taken so seriously in world events. That attitude changed over the past decade and now the U.S.national team competes with the best soccer countries in the world. The same will happen in rugby, just wait.
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jamieLM | Sep 12, 2011, 07:24 PM EDT
I admit I didn't even know the U.S. had a rugby team. Most of the people I know, including my husband and I, are into college and NFL teams. I think it's going to be a l-o-n-g time, if ever, before Americans get excited about rugby. Soccer is played by a lot of kids throughout the U.S., but rugby??? Btw: we did watch the Notre Dame/Michigan game. Go Big Ten!
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RedBranch | Sep 12, 2011, 04:18 PM EDT
People thought US soccer was a joke until the 1994 World Cup, where they did surprisingly well (go Lalas with the Uncle Sam goatee). Perhaps the USA should host the next Rugby World Cup, go Eagles!
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sedwinmars | Sep 12, 2011, 02:42 PM EDT
I thought it was a great game. Ireland crushed U.S.A. but the American lads played with a lot of heart. America scored a long running try during the last play of the game to give you a little perspective. I heard the announcers give their analysis after the game claiming that the Irish hopes had to be "dented" or their "momentum slowed" but that's not the way I saw it. Both teams played a great game but the Irish dominated.
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