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Post by flynnfan on May 28, 2015 10:39:26 GMT
'There are certain things that are meant to symbolise Wales, aren’t there? Mountains, song-mainly choirs, sheep even? But largely and predominantly, rugby, which has provided the sound track for our nation’s modern history.
Now, no-one takes greater pleasure in our success on the rugby pitch than me. I saw my home town club, Bridgend Ravens (underdogs on the day) topple the mighty Pontypridd in the SWALEC Cup final earlier this month, and few will forget the nail-biting finale to this year’s Six Nations. But, as we look ahead to the Autumn and a sporting extravaganza with the Rugby World Cup in England and Wales, and Wales’s final qualifiers for football’s UEFA European Championships in France next year, I am going to say something that I have absolutely no doubt will be controversial.
Deep breath!
It is more important to the reputation, profile and image of our nation that Wales qualifies for the football Euros next year, than if we win the Rugby World Cup this autumn. There, I’ve said it, and the heavens haven’t fallen in…yet!
So before, the brickbats rain down on me, let me explain. Firstly, of course I would prefer that we do both- win the Rugby World Cup and qualify for France. They are not mutually exclusive, and there is no need for a destructive rivalry between our two national sports.
But, by any objective measurement, it is blindingly obvious that Wales qualifying for the European Championships next year will have a deeper and more significant resonance for our international reputation and profile.
To borrow a somewhat over-used political phrase, football is a process, whilst rugby is an event. 328,000 people in Wales played football in the last month; a third of that number played rugby. The average attendance at our two top Welsh football clubs is comfortably over 20,000; the average for a regional rugby game is around 6,000.
A generous interpretation would put a maximum of 25 nations as playing rugby globally; 208 play football. The European football market alone is worth an estimated 20 billion Euros.
The reason why this example is significant is that it edges us back to the themes of my lecture. If our fragile confidence as a nation totters precariously on a sport where yes, we can dominate but which is small-fry globally, then, our chances of selling ourselves to the world, becoming an international brand and reaping the economic dividends that come with that, are rather squeezed. No-one would dream of denying the proud history of rugby here, or its historical and social import, but we simply cannot let rugby define us as a nation'
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BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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Post by dai on May 28, 2015 11:19:38 GMT
YES YES YES YES YES
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Post by eppingblue on May 28, 2015 11:29:26 GMT
She'll be moved sideways into the role of a classroom assistant by the end of the day.
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Post by ontheroadagain on May 28, 2015 11:46:30 GMT
Great job flynnfan!
One question, where did you get this from?
If the professor is on twitter she will be deluged with rugby trolls.
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Post by jbt95 on May 28, 2015 11:51:08 GMT
Wales winning the rugby world cup.
Pull the other one.
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Post by toshfan on May 28, 2015 11:55:03 GMT
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2015 12:02:40 GMT
It was the topic of discussion on Morning Call yesterday on Radio Wales with Ollie Hides. Didn't hear much of it as I travel to Manchester daily and the reception gets worse and worse the further from the border you get.
Probably available on I player though
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Post by jbt95 on May 28, 2015 14:16:09 GMT
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Post by flynnfan on May 28, 2015 15:27:17 GMT
'There are certain things that are meant to symbolise Wales, aren’t there? Mountains, song-mainly choirs, sheep even? But largely and predominantly, rugby, which has provided the sound track for our nation’s modern history. Now, no-one takes greater pleasure in our success on the rugby pitch than me. I saw my home town club, Bridgend Ravens (underdogs on the day) topple the mighty Pontypridd in the SWALEC Cup final earlier this month, and few will forget the nail-biting finale to this year’s Six Nations. But, as we look ahead to the Autumn and a sporting extravaganza with the Rugby World Cup in England and Wales, and Wales’s final qualifiers for football’s UEFA European Championships in France next year, I am going to say something that I have absolutely no doubt will be controversial. Deep breath! It is more important to the reputation, profile and image of our nation that Wales qualifies for the football Euros next year, than if we win the Rugby World Cup this autumn. There, I’ve said it, and the heavens haven’t fallen in…yet! So before, the brickbats rain down on me, let me explain. Firstly, of course I would prefer that we do both- win the Rugby World Cup and qualify for France. They are not mutually exclusive, and there is no need for a destructive rivalry between our two national sports. But, by any objective measurement, it is blindingly obvious that Wales qualifying for the European Championships next year will have a deeper and more significant resonance for our international reputation and profile. To borrow a somewhat over-used political phrase, football is a process, whilst rugby is an event. 328,000 people in Wales played football in the last month; a third of that number played rugby. The average attendance at our two top Welsh football clubs is comfortably over 20,000; the average for a regional rugby game is around 6,000. A generous interpretation would put a maximum of 25 nations as playing rugby globally; 208 play football. The European football market alone is worth an estimated 20 billion Euros. The reason why this example is significant is that it edges us back to the themes of my lecture. If our fragile confidence as a nation totters precariously on a sport where yes, we can dominate but which is small-fry globally, then, our chances of selling ourselves to the world, becoming an international brand and reaping the economic dividends that come with that, are rather squeezed. No-one would dream of denying the proud history of rugby here, or its historical and social import, but we simply cannot let rugby define us as a nation' ------------------- BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Great job flynnfan! One question, where did you get this from? If the professor is on twitter she will be deluged with rugby trolls. |
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Post by Deleted on May 28, 2015 15:39:28 GMT
Can't we just have both?
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Post by cadno on May 28, 2015 16:08:58 GMT
328,000 people in Wales played football in the last month; a third of that number played rugby.
Wow!
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Post by ontheroadagain on May 28, 2015 17:02:38 GMT
flynnfan, many thanks for the link.
Interesting reading and wanting to create a better future for all of Wales whilst pointing out current problems and perceived problems.
Perhaps I should have said used the word challenges rather than problems.
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Post by gareth on May 28, 2015 20:28:05 GMT
I had a quick look on Wales online but couldn't find an article. Obviously they are very pro rugby
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Post by flynnfan on May 29, 2015 13:01:12 GMT
Did you not read the passage I posted storm? because if you did, surely you would have seen this? 'of course I would prefer that we do both- win the Rugby World Cup and qualify for France. They are not mutually exclusive, and there is no need for a destructive rivalry between our two national sports' So what is it that you actually have a problem with? Please point out what it is that you disagree with, and then maybe we can have a proper discussion/argument about it. |
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Post by scoop76 on May 30, 2015 13:11:04 GMT
I had a quick look on Wales online but couldn't find an article. Obviously they are very pro rugby They've taken a few days to pick up on it, but it's in the Western Mail (front page) and the South Wales Echo today. They have also published a rugby v football POLL today should anyone wish to vote. As of lunchtime today, about 65 per cent of responses said rugby was the more important sport in Wales. Get voting.... www.walesonline.co.uk/sport/rugby/rugby-news/welsh-rugby-versus-welsh-football-9356774 |
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Post by scoop76 on May 30, 2015 13:12:14 GMT
Thanks for posting the link. |
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Post by flynnfan on Jul 22, 2016 14:06:37 GMT
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Post by ontheroadagain on Jul 22, 2016 14:36:05 GMT
flynnfan, many thanks for posting the link. A great read. |
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Post by ontheroadagain on Jul 22, 2016 21:43:53 GMT
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Post by manulike on Jul 22, 2016 22:50:12 GMT
Well, if it is her, she certainly has my vote! Thanks for sharing ;-) |
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Post by manulike on Aug 29, 2016 18:47:59 GMT
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Post by ontheroadagain on Aug 29, 2016 20:12:48 GMT
I'll second that. Good luck Laura! |
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Post by ontheroadagain on Oct 15, 2018 1:25:08 GMT
And possibly with this. www.walesonline.co.uk/news/news-opinion/heres-womens-sport-needs-big-15272272The relevant paragraph being: "I was dismayed to hear from friends who travelled to Denmark for the recent Welsh football international that they had seen and heard sexism from a few neanderthal fans there who, in the spirit of de Coubertin, were suggesting that supporting Wales away should be a male only space." So much for the Red Wall and Together Stronger. Why don't these 'neanderthals' just stay away, or wake up to the fact that they are living in the 21st century (Trump excluded for obvious reasons). |
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Post by welshiron on Oct 15, 2018 6:22:48 GMT
Did the women get a where were you when we were shit?
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Post by georgetm1 on Oct 15, 2018 7:06:45 GMT
What a bunch of entitled wankers. How dare they. Fucking shaved apes.
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Post by scoop76 on Oct 15, 2018 8:06:11 GMT
Before we start using this as another reason to berate the Canton Stand / North Stand regulars, we all saw or heard about incidents like this in Denmark.
The women being patronised / verbally abused were almost all Wales away regulars -fans who were in the North Stand on Thursday, will be in Dublin tomorrow and in the Canton for Denmark home. Women who've been going to watch Wales away for between 10 and 20 years.
The sexism and mysigonistic comments came from groups of men who many of us had not seen on Wales away trips before, the sort who were treating the whole trip as one big stag weekend.
So please don't portray this as being a problem caused by "entitled" regulars. This was from fans who had no idea how they should behave towards women, the sort who thought they were entitled to a weekend away with the lads.
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Post by CrackityJones on Feb 16, 2023 16:06:25 GMT
Llongyfarchiadau Laura!
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Post by hooky on Feb 16, 2023 17:54:39 GMT
Good on her!
Seems a very principled person and will be good to have someone on the inside to put forward Wales' agenda when appropriate.
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Post by manulike on Feb 16, 2023 18:17:39 GMT
Fantastic news.
Well deserved!
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Post by hooky on Feb 17, 2023 0:08:59 GMT
manulike. In all my years of being on football, rugby and other message boards I have never come across a more positive human being! I can't remember you ever even criticising a player, manager or a fellow poster - its amazing. So glad we have people like you on these boards! I wish I had your powers of discipline and reflection!
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