Why im loving rugby union again

[Groucho]

ha. aussie rugby fans are pretty fair weather in some parts.....look at QLD crowds then and now. NSW crowds, ACT crowds.
Wallaby sell outs now that didn't happen 2-3 years ago.

for those here it's not the case. but there's a big lump of rugby fans out there who just want to see a win.

Geez, increased crowd numbers for a winning sports team don't equate to 'fair weather fans'. Many of those increased crowds will be families, out for the spectacle. Often they are fans from other sports, or general sports fans off the street. To characterise them as fickle supporters is really just mean-spirited.

 

[Scotty]

A well crafted post but I have to say Australian rugby fans are among the most fairweather I have come accross in any sport anywhere. Thee defect to ping pong and Degenerateball at the smell of a Wallaby loss. You even find people who admit it.

I don't call those people fans, just bandwagon jumpers. Most of them are league fans, that jump on the bandwagon when we are going well or the RWC comes around.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

Geez, increased crowd numbers for a winning sports team don't equate to 'fair weather fans'. Many of those increased crowds will be families, out for the spectacle. Often they are fans from other sports, or general sports fans off the street. To characterise them as fickle supporters is really just mean-spirited.

I think that is valid for queensland. There it will be a mix of new fans being exposed to the game for the first time and of course fair weather folk. But look at the crowd numbers in NSW and ACT.
We might be mixing up bandwagon and fair weather here, though I don't think there is a difference.
Yes QLD attracts new fans, but if people were going to ACT and now aren't....then that means there are a few fair weather fans, presuming they come back when ACT plays well.

I'm not intending to be mean-spirited and i dont think it is. There are the rugby tragics and then there are the fair weather fans who don't attend nearly as much when things aren't going well.

But none of this has anything to do with how great rugby is! And it is bloody awesome at the moment. Agree that the new rules at the breakdown have done wonders for the game and preserved much of what is great about it. The ultimate test is just 12 days away and I think it will be fantastic.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

I would say a bandwagon fan is one who is already a fan of rugby, but doesnt really have a team they go for until one team starts playing well, then they back them. usually under the guise of "i barrack for whoever is playing good rugby (i.e winning)"

a fair weather fan is an already existing fan of the team, but only really gets out in support when the team is performing. When the team is playing boring (NSW) or bad rugby (ACT) they go into hiding.

 

[Set piece magic]

With the tahs now having Michael Foley don't be surprised If they do have an attacking base next year. If the team plays strong attacking rugby, Don't be surprised when (if the Templeton cup is staged in NSW in say round 10) The match draws 70 - 80k. Mark my words.

 

[Sir Arthur Higgins]

I hope that's the case

 

[Blue]

With the tahs now having Michael Foley don't be surprised If they do have an attacking base next year. If the team plays strong attacking rugby, Don't be surprised when (if the Templeton cup is staged in NSW in say round 10) The match draws 70 - 80k. Mark my words.

They better else the stands will again be half empty.

 

[Lindommer]

A well-crafted post but I have to say Australian rugby fans are among the most fair weather I have come across in any sport anywhere. They defect to ping pong and degenerateball at the smell of a Wallaby loss. You even find people who admit it.

Not on my patch, Blue, not on my patch. And quite a few Aussie supporters here, some whom you know, are thick-and-thin rugby supporters to the core.

After a childhood in southern New South Wales in a family steeped in Aussie Rules (and Melbourne schools) I first experienced rugby in 1965, my first test was a mighty victory against the Boks at the SCG; I was hooked. How come no one told me about this magnificent theatre called international rugby?, I wondered. (The fact there were two Waggatahs in that winning Australian Test rugby team was merely a coincidence). Blue, there are many, many staunch rugby supporters in this country, to think otherwise is to delude yourself.

 

[Jnor]

Until I came to Australia I thought AFL was something drunk people did when the cricketers were having tea. Like a pissed version of touch football where everyone scatters, someone kicks an Garry Owen and everyone runs into each other .

You mean thats not what Aussie Rules is?

 

[Ruggo]

Geez, increased crowd numbers for a winning sports team don't equate to 'fair weather fans'. Many of those increased crowds will be families, out for the spectacle. Often they are fans from other sports, or general sports fans off the street. To characterise them as fickle supporters is really just mean-spirited.

Runs deeper than that. It depends who walks the walk and who talks the talk. I love new supporters being attracted to the game. People like Greg Martin shit me to tears who just cling onto succsess at will. A few years back he was a closet Tahs fan and completley distanced himself from the Reds. When fortunes changed he was pretty quick to jump on the bandwagon and present himself as Red to the core. This is just pea hearted in my view. As good as it is for everyone to enjoy the success of the Reds I don't begrudge the die hards enjoying it that little bit more.

I also wonder how much of the Reds bandwagon has actually taken a liking to rugby as a sport rather than the Reds only as a representitive of their state? As much fun as it can be taking the p!ss out of QLDers, state pride is one thing they are esceptionally good at.

 

[Sully]

Marto was supporting the reds well before they came good.


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