Jesus, I'm struggling to answer this.
I've found over the last 3-5 years every element I loved about rugby has been degraded to a point it's become something i now hate.
My club Cardiff, went regional a long time ago, but it never worked, squads dwindled, crowds dwindled, badge changed etc.
Last few games have seen sell outs at the arms park, but as a season ticket holder we are still treated badly.
Crowds changing, the atmosphere is poor, rugby is low level and it's become extremely expensive every year. Players own food carts and coffee Van's, charge a fortune for food, KO times are hard if you use public transport, I have to leave early to get a train home sometimes, and the worst part? No away fans!!!
Which leads me to the URC, i hate the tournament, fans cant travel, I've met 3 South Africans in 2 seasons FFS. The reason rugby is fun is sitting with opposing fans enjoying the game.
But back to the URC, Dublin based, Irish focused league that would sell its soul for a few more shekels. I'm waiting to see games played in Saudi, or the USA.l, before admitting clubs from those countries.
Eauropean rugby is dead to me. The new tournaments lack the entertainment and magic of the Heinekn cup, since the English and French clubs power grab, then adding clubs from the other side of the planet I just have no interest.
6N are priming to entertain SA in, everyone says they're not, but we all know the money will be too good to refuse when the time comes, and that'll be the end of the 6N too. Currently the tournament is still great fun, I love Rome as a destination, as do I Edinburgh. Dublin is a bit meh, Twickenham is a horror show, and Paris I've had too many dangerous close calls to take my daughter with me.
The RWC has been good, I thought France as a host severely lacked the qualities that made the Japanese visit so great, but i still enjoyed the trip. Expanding to give more meaningless games is pointless, but i get why they are doing it. They want the big nations to show up, and grow the game.
Talk about growing the game, world rugby, as well as WRU in Wales seem to make every effort to take away what makes the game special, the red card lottery is a joke. I get that players need protection, but implementation of new laws needs proper study and trials. These red cards are designed to make games more of a lottery, and therefore offer more upsets and gives wider fans more interest.
I mean the WRU are killing the community game with the new tackle height laws, participation is dropping hard, and will all but vanish, especially at junior level.
My local clubs are drying up, used to have 4 teams, now struggle to get a 2 nds together regularly. Despite all their energy and a lot of finance going into a womans team they just folded, 2 pregnancies, 2 leaving for uni, 1 retired and despite a big push for players little interest from the local community.
Sorry for the rant, but here comes the caveat...
The Lions tour for me is still the essence of rugby, and despite the financial issues the few areas left for actual fans. Not only a tour, but a tour with away fans, and travelling opposing fans. I've been to Aus and NZ on tour and hey were incredible. As was the Japanese RWC, and France I enjoyed too.
Unfortunately I cant play any more, my body is in bits, but i miss it. My local clubs culture has changed recently, it's become sanitised, and at least 6 people have been banned from pitch side for shouting. Not abuse, not profanity or aggression, just shouting. I do get to stand in the mud, in my wellys, over coat, wet, freezing hugging my cuppa, watching 30 kids give it some. I love the smell of deep heat in the morning lol.
I also enjoy the grumble, in our section of the Arms park there are 4/5 groups of long term season ticket holders, and our regular greeting is 'here we go again' and we always end with 'I'm not coming back next week'.
Again, apologies for the whinging, I just dont understand the decisions made by the big wigs that absolutely hurt the game, probably magnified by living under dumb WRU rule.
I was incredibly fatigued after the RWC, and TBH I dont really have the enthusiasm I usually do for the 6N, but it is starting to grow a bit since I returned to this forum.
I also thoroughly enjoy this forum.
, aimless kicking etc etc, weird tournament formats... I've made no secret of my waning love for the game, so - let's have some positivity.
