I really can't be bothered to respond to such stupidity.

However, you did.
Having an opinion of another sport is hardly stupidity is it?

I've never understood this attitude between the sports, it's the same both ways. I'm not a particular fan of RU though the Southern Hemisphere games can sometimes be good to watch. I live down south and have had many a RL v RU conversation which usually involve them telling me how great RU is and how poor RL is. I then ask how many RL games they have been to watch or seen on TV and they reply none. It seems as though it is bred into the majority of RU supporters not to like league and vice versa.

I personally don't like Union (at all) but my Dad likes both codes and enjoys both as much as the other.

Although England now seem to have a bit more attacking intent, there is no doubt that Northern Hemisphere Union games have been about "winning" penalties in the opposition half, to allow a pop at goal.
The Southern Hemisphere teams have played a different type of game, which seems more about scoring tries than kicking penalties.
As for fan's being more interested in spending time at the bar, this is clearly their choice and many of the International's are far more about the occasion, than watching a brilliant game of Rugby, something that "League" hasn't managed and if "we" can ever get to the point where we are playing our home internationals in front of 80,000 fans, paying £50 each, the game would be in rude health.

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... thers.html Any chance of actually discussing what Clive Woodward actually said? It's just as applicable to RL and RU and is about the drinking culture that detracts from the sport.

www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/rugbyu ... thers.html Any chance of actually discussing what Clive Woodward actually said? It's just as applicable to RL and RU and is about the drinking culture that detracts from the sport.

Why can't an individual enjoy their entertainment the way they want to? If that's drinking beer whilst sat watching a game good luck to them. Corporate hospitality encourages drinking and food etc before, during and after which for some is a big aspect of the sport and for the sport a big slice of income. As an ex world cup winning coach and pundit its his job to sit, analyse and then talk about the game/sport. Some guy whose worked 40-50 hours in the week and wants a sat afternoon out with his chums at the weekend is entitled to a beer if thats his/her choice

What does it really matter. There is never trouble at RU games and brings in income. this is an entertainment industry.



You do know more ale is supped at the A v N game than any other don't you?

But if an individual want to just sit or stand and watch the full 80 mins without interruptions of those constantly streaming past to the bar / toilet then why should they have to just put up with it ?

Because some folk like myself work Mon-Fri night shift, and funnily enough like a pint or two whilst out on a rare social event. You know see the mates and all that.

If you want an unrestricted view that bad, pull your armchair closer to your tv at home and watch the game

But isn't that the point, that Clive Woodward was getting at.

If you want to social event, then just go to the pub, if you want to watch the match then just watch the match, and perhaps have a drink before kick off & at half time.

Then the RFU need to shut the bars etc

Why cant there be a happy medium?

Could there maybe be stands or parts of stands where drinking is allowed and parts where it's not?

As for disliking Union. I have no problem with Union at an amateur level, in fact I far prefer it to League. In my experience it's far friendlier and inclusive than League and I enjoyed my amateur Union far more than my amateur League days.

At professional level I can't stand the upper class establishment nature of the sport/institution than actively tried (and still does) to suppress and kill off my sport and has (and still does have) a dislike of and patronising attitude toward working class people.

RU is boring and always has been. RL is boring these days but didn't used to be.

People going for a waz, pushing past and bumming you when they go get a beer, tripping and spilling it over everyone, talking to randomers who swear too much and know sod all about the game is all part of the sporting experience, embrace it, I don't get bummed when I'm at home!

Wow.....I actually cannot believe this thread has gone from a comment made on breakfast TV to a full blown argument about drinking at sporting events......jesus wept.

Drinking has and will always be apart of life. The British culture is one of the biggest for drinking. Drinking and sport go hand in hand. Please dear god go to an amateur game and I dare you to get offended at people 'ruining your view of the game' due to going past to get to the bar. The people who do this probably work their @rses off every day and when they finally get that day off on a weekend they want to support their team and have a few beers whilst doing it. And I say good on them. They can enjoy their life and time off however they like.

do you mean "bumped"?

Not when this impacts the enjoyment of other people who also "work their @rses off every day" and want to support their team without having to get up 15 times in 80 minutes because some people can't control their urge for a drink.

As for the amateur game, well that's exactly why it's in the shocking state that it is.

Or an alternative view,

As most stadia for RL are not packed to the rafters, the one's who seem so put out about letting people passed (whatever the reason is) could also move themselves?

You must be really fun to take to a game!! You'll find that a lot of people actually can 'control their urge for a drink'. It's a choice. I for example, like to have a couple of pints whilst watching the game. A lot of my friends like to have 5 or 6, not doing anyone any harm. Do you by any chance sit there in silence watching the game? Do you shout for bad referee decisions? Do you make calls about the game even if you know feck all about it as many people do? Do you swear during a game? All these impact people's enjoyment too but at least the drinking means the club benefit from the takings. Especially if you drink the home brand like I do (Bulls Bitter).

As for the amateur game it's a bloody social event. What do you expect? The fans and players to be tee total whilst maintaining a strict diet

It's for people to get together, play the sport they love and then enjoy the social aspect which comes with it. It's on it's because there is no funding in the game, plain and simple.

The discussion is surely about seated areas and generally at event games.

I meant bummed in terms of someone's bum brushing your front as they go past not bummed as in, you know... Prison hahaha!

Why is drinking the only way you can have fun?
I have a drink at games. 1 or 2. Depending on if I'm driving or not. I shout and cheer when things happen on the pitch.

Do you understand what's proportional and generally acceptable behaviour? For some people to EXCESSIVELY go so many times to the bar or toilet is not and should not be considered acceptable because it adversely affects other people beyond what is expected. That's without getting into the excessive drinking leading to aggression and excessive swearing.

For example, if I walk down the street I expect to have to let other people walk in front of me or to make way for them. I don't expect to be pushed out of the way by somebody.

As for the amateur game then yes I would expect people to be able to struggle through a Saturday or Sunday morning game of social rugby without having to consume alcohol. It's not exactly a hardship. Plenty of sports and social events manage it. And the fact that RL can't manage to produce a relatively friendly and civilised gateway to the sport is a huge negative in terms of attracting and keeping players, supporters and even sponsors.

I have never seen anyone getting blasted and starting fights and being aggressive at FC games. People around where I sit don't even drink in the ground particularly. Majority of people that want a drink go to pub before and after and just have a laugh and a bit of banter. Part of the game day experience, just adds to the carnival atmosphere, you know, not the boring, miserable atmosphere of one person sitting still and silent in their chair thinking that someone going past once or twice is the most annoying thing on gods green earth!

Who are you to say what excessive is?? I would say the words excessive and unacceptable should only be used if the majority of the 12,000 or whatever people in the ground feel the same and you know what? MOST PEOPLE COULDNT CARE LESS!!

The whole fun part of my comment was meant to be aimed at the fact when people ask if they can go past it ruins their enjoyment. I know I'd get frustrated if I was sat with a friend and they were getting y and vocal about people going past. It happens. I'm sorry but no-one sits for a full 80 mins in a sporting event. I have no problem with people who don't drink. It's not a necessity for me in order to have fun in my day to day life.

I do understand what is considered generally acceptable behaviour. But thanks non the less for asking me as if I am child (y) Much appreciated. I've underlined part of your quote, I highly doubt that the poster means one particular poster goes up and down this often as that would be rare. The same person 3-4 times maybe, but then what about the other people sat in that row? Who may have families? Are they not allowed to go past either as this spoils the enjoyment of the poster? After all their qualm is about people getting up and going past, it makes no difference what they have got up for? As I say I go to the bar twice during the game maybe, yet other's get up far more often than me and come back with food for their kids, or a drink because they forgot, then maybe something for themselves?

As for the part in italics, this is hardly a problem for RL? The vast majority of the time it's a very peaceful and respectful game. There no segregation because there isn't a history of violence within the sport. The swearing, again is probably less to do with the sport and more to do with today's generation. And in fact the past two generations for allowing this behaviour to seep through.

I think you'll find that RL does provide a gateway and path to the sport. It has and is billed as a family sport and rightly so. When I played amateur RL after the game I would have a pint or two with my teammates. There would be a drink off for the Man of the Match, all voluntary of course. It all helped the club earn some much needed money. There is no problem with this. Obviously in very very very extreme cases (which almost never happen) one person would get hammered. That's their personal problem not the sports.

"Surely".…. Quite a bold statement.

Irrespective of it being about seated areas, there is generally plenty of room to move if you wished. Event games (assuming you mean CC final, GF and internationals?). These are bi g events. Let people enjoy them as they wish.

That the rfl has to offer these events on places like Groupon, it's not as though there is high demand and I assume you are the type that complains that "it looks bad for the game" when a televised match is broadcast with lots of empty spaces.

I haven't personally met anyone who could stomach 5 or 6 pints of stadium beer, fair play to them. But I'd rather move out of the way once in a while than sit next to some of the deadheads who think they are knowledgeable about the game yet in reality are so blinkered and biased they actually believe there is an rfl referees conspiracy against their team.

Now, they are annoying.