Australian Rugby / RA

[wamberal]

It was a pretty bizarre way to protest about the GF not being held at your stadium

This was nothing compared to some of the tribal warfare that used to be on display.

 

[John S]

This was nothing compared to some of the tribal warfare that used to be on display.

You're not wrong. I remember seeing the riots on the news all through the 90s growing up

 

[dru]

You're not wrong. I remember seeing the riots on the news all through the 90s growing up

Thatcher era coal strikes closing the highway. Just a warm up for football fans in the away bus. Waved through on the way home.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Hooliganism in UK soccer was particularly bad during the 80s. It led to some hefty bans for all English clubs after incidents like Heysel. We’ve had our share of it in the round ball code here too, especially when the clubs were divided on ethnic or political lines.

 

[John S]

Hooliganism in UK soccer was particularly bad during the 80s. It led to some hefty bans for all English clubs after incidents like Heysel. We’ve had our share of it in the round ball code here too, especially when the clubs were divided on ethnic or political lines.

Yeah I was thinking about the riots between some of the western Sydney clubs

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

There’s something about the culture surrounding that sport that isn’t right.

 

[Dan54]

I can actually see the day crap like that will spread to other sports including rugby, much as I cringe at thought. It starts with hate amongst fans etc, and I think booze etc at sports events will lead to more of it eventually. Young jokers, booze and tribalism I think is a mix that can be a bit of a concern. Add to that internet that nutters fire each up even more and ................

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

Hmmm maybe but I think it would be extremely isolated if it ever happened in Rugby. I'm of the opinion these idiots just see a large group as a chance to be a fuckwit and they don't give a flying fuck about the sport.

I could be wrong, but I don't think this happens much anywhere now which I'm sure is a by-product of everyone having a camera on them and the fact it's a lot less tribal now with how people move around. Those UK teams were truly towns, sides of towns and regions using the fact this brought the others to your placer as a chance to have it out.

I don't think this sort of garbage happens in US College Football or NFL which is packed and very passionate. Isolated fights are different.

 

[dru]

There’s something about the culture surrounding that sport that isn’t right.

Tribalism had devolved for sure - generally in times of social upheaval/ poverty and it was simply an outlet to broader societal issues. On other occasions tribalism drifted beyond xenophobia to racism where the riots were defect arranged -0 mostly at international level, but here too when our clubs were ethnic based social groups. Old issues prevailed.

On the other hand much of that has been under better control for decades, some of the most memorable times we had in England was at the football, where to be quite front I don't remember much sport, just the crowd calling and responses.

Flares and pitch invasions with injuries to players and refs is certainly a blowback. Timing couldn't be worse for the sport, tied neatly with the end of the WC. Some thugs going well over the top where social guard rails should have kicked in much earlier.

I feel sorry for them.

 

[wamberal]

The roots of this sort of violence are deep in Melbourne, apparently. It is almost certainly based on historical enmities between old enemies : Croats, Serbs, and so on.

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

That was the initial hesitation about bringing in new teams into the same city because they knew groups would pick one as their proxy to the old NSL Clubs.

 

[Wallaby Man]

The roots of this sort of violence are deep in Melbourne, apparently. It is almost certainly based on historical enmities between old enemies : Croats, Serbs, and so on.

This 100%

I used to be an a-league member for a single season when lived in Melb. It was good fun, but the fanatical (active supporter side) that has caused this mess by and large aren’t alcohol drinkers etc. it’s more people engaged with petty past social factions from their countries of heritage. They lack respect for authority and thrive on the notion that they cause mayhem to societal values.

 

[hifflepiff]

Hmmm maybe but I think it would be extremely isolated if it ever happened in Rugby. I'm of the opinion these idiots just see a large group as a chance to be a fuckwit and they don't give a flying fuck about the sport.

I could be wrong, but I don't think this happens much anywhere now which I'm sure is a by-product of everyone having a camera on them and the fact it's a lot less tribal now with how people move around. Those UK teams were truly towns, sides of towns and regions using the fact this brought the others to your placer as a chance to have it out.

I don't think this sort of garbage happens in US College Football or NFL which is packed and very passionate. Isolated fights are different.

One reason you don't see it in Rugby and the NFL is there's a bit of a difference squaring up with an 85kg goal keeper v a 130kg lock/linebacker

 

[The Ghost of Raelene]

One reason you don't see it in Rugby and the NFL is there's a bit of a difference squaring up with an 85kg goal keeper v a 130kg lock/linebacker

Fantastic point. Wouldn't mind seeing it once now tbf

 

[Slim 293]

They lack respect for authority and thrive on the notion that they cause mayhem to societal values.

 

[Wallaby Man]

Haha Elaine’s work friends were the direct cause of the invasion

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Fantastic point. Wouldn't mind seeing it once now tbf

Remember that idiot who invaded the pitch in a test in South Africa years ago? Got dealt with.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Tribalism had devolved for sure - generally in times of social upheaval/ poverty and it was simply an outlet to broader societal issues. On other occasions tribalism drifted beyond xenophobia to racism where the riots were defect arranged -0 mostly at international level, but here too when our clubs were ethnic based social groups. Old issues prevailed.

On the other hand much of that has been under better control for decades, some of the most memorable times we had in England was at the football, where to be quite front I don't remember much sport, just the crowd calling and responses.

Flares and pitch invasions with injuries to players and refs is certainly a blowback. Timing couldn't be worse for the sport, tied neatly with the end of the WC. Some thugs going well over the top where social guard rails should have kicked in much earlier.

I feel sorry for them.

Certainly it's a lot better than it was decades ago. There's always been this bubbling undercurrent of non-sport related tribalism in soccer. Whether it's sectarian, political, ethnic or something else, there are some folks who need no encouragement to display the full ugliness of their hatred for other people. It's still the case in Europe and whilst the authorities have kept a lid on it, there is no doubt it's still there.

 

[PhilClinton]

There’s something about the culture surrounding that sport that isn’t right.

The intense range of emotions and how they're handled by winning or losing is quite confronting.

I've just watched footage of all the riots in France after the World Cup loss this morning, amazing to think a team losing a game (in what was really a great sporting spectacle and something I am glad I watched) would then spur you to light your own city on fire.

I won't pretend to understand it. But I find it interesting these days many parents push their children away from full contact sports (and there is science supporting the concerns) into something like soccer, but then you look at how their fans behave, globally, and it's not exactly a gentlemans game either. I was pretty annoyed at our rugby loss to Italy, but lighting my neighbour's bins on fire was never really on the cards.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Agree totally Phil. How many riots do you see following a rugby game?

My theory is that all the violence is on the pitch and that means there's little in the stands!