Lansdowne Road

[An Tarbh]

Well the final curtain has been drawn on Lansdowne Road as an international rugby venue for now and now it's on to Croke Park for the next few years, or a decade as the case may prove to be.

So what have your abiding memories of the oldest venue in world rugby. You don't have to be Irish to appreciate the many great occasions that have happened at this stadium. Remeber it was at Lansdowne Road where England finally won the grand slam under Woodward, it was Lansdowne Road where Richie McCaw was unleashed on the international rugby scene, where arguably one of the greatest games of club rugby was played in 2004, when Wasps beat Munster and where Ulster and Toulouse both claimed the Heineken Cup.

There's plenty of Irish memories which I'm sure many of you will wish to share as well.

It may have been a crumbling wreck, where took your life in your hands if you needed to take a **** but for sheer atmosphere it's second to none. You can only hope that the new Lansdowne will improve upon itself as the Millennium Stadium has on the Arms Park.

 

[fcukernaut]

Well my first memory was of Richie McCaw's debut. I remember quite clearly Josh Kronfeld saying McCaw was too young, and too inexperienced to play with the big boys and that the number 7 jersey shouldn't be handed out willy nilly. McCaw then went out, played a stellar game and won man of the match.

That game in particular was quite exciting given the All Blacks were down by two tries at one point I believe but stormed back and won it in style. I remember Mauger scoring who, many forget, was on debut as well. Jonah also crashed over in the contest and so did one of my new heros, Dave Hewett a Canterbury prop, another man on debut at the tender age of 31.

 

[An Tarbh]

That was a huge game alright, such a surreal feeling being up at half time but obviously the All Blacks overpowered us in the second half and Warren Gatland promptly got the sack after EOS stabbed him in the back.

Interesting to read some of the comments from that time on the game with one guy saying Ireland were a decent side but never capable of anything other than one off victories, well we're certainly proving him wrong now.

2001 was a great year for Lansdowne Road memories, the Try of BOD against the French, best atmosphere I've ever experienced at Lansdowne, 48000 Irish fans screaming Try, Try, Try and then when you get home and you see Jerry Guscott spitting his dummy out made it all the more priceless. The foot and mouth win over England with Woody's try and then that game against the All Blacks, great stuff.

 

[O'Rothlain]

Just imagine what memories will take place here...
...where my child will make his international rugby debut...

 

[Prestwick]

I hope the soccer fans don't trash the toilets!

When Barcelona handed over the Olympic Stadium to Barcelona's *other* soccer club, the soccer fans wrecked the toilets completely.

 

[An Tarbh]

Nah we're Irish remember, it was the English who thrashed Lansdowne, ********. However it was the one occasion where the gardaí kicked the living **** out of the hooligans and not one question was asked.

 

[Prestwick]

Nah we're Irish remember, it was the English who thrashed Lansdowne, ********. However it was the one occasion where the gardaí kicked the living **** out of the hooligans and not one question was asked.
[/b]

Most probably not a question from the British public either. I think I remember seeing the footage of gardai storming the upper tiers after some Combat 18 (i.e. racist scumbags) started throwing chairs at the crowd below and proceeded to kick hooligan arse (much to the delight of the British press who saluted the bravery of those Irish coppers!)

 

[An Tarbh]

well it just shows the difference between the rugby and football fans, in contrast to the hooligans I'd go so far to say that the English are the best away fans I've seen at Lansdowne, they're up for the banter, can take the gentle natured abuse and don't go over the top with a win or a loss, plus they bring sterling and spend it as well.

 

[Prestwick]

Mick Cleary fondly remembers Lansdowne Road and names some of his favourite bars nearby!