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Replying To KillingFields:  "I named south sligo. so what. i could name other new clubs now and youd find some way to try dismiss it. playing numbers are not this bad way you want to make them out to be. but you can never be wrong can ypu"
You named South Sligo and Crossmolina. You try and pretend you know more than everyone on Rugby, so much so you name clubs that don't exist.

I don't talk about the numbers down your way because I am not down there enough to see what's going on. But that didn't stop you arguing against me about what's going on in my province. Rugby is less popular now and as I already said with the increase in training days for GAA teens it will drop further. Rugby is well behind Gaelic Football, Hurling, Soccer and Athletics and it's not going to change.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8768 - 23/02/2026 09:06:51    2658005

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "You named South Sligo and Crossmolina. You try and pretend you know more than everyone on Rugby, so much so you name clubs that don't exist.

I don't talk about the numbers down your way because I am not down there enough to see what's going on. But that didn't stop you arguing against me about what's going on in my province. Rugby is less popular now and as I already said with the increase in training days for GAA teens it will drop further. Rugby is well behind Gaelic Football, Hurling, Soccer and Athletics and it's not going to change."
Crossmolina were running for a while as a minis club with Ballina and i beleived plans were to expand them in time. and same with South Sligo though they were completely integrated back into Sligo a while back.

i have been involved in connacht rugby. i would know plenty involved in the game in plenty of clubs in connacht, those who know the game. rugby less popular now compared to when exactly? I dont see it based on my experience of the game. numbers playing teams playing etc

KillingFields (Limerick) - Posts: 3942 - 23/02/2026 12:07:44    2658084

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Replying To KillingFields:  "Crossmolina were running for a while as a minis club with Ballina and i beleived plans were to expand them in time. and same with South Sligo though they were completely integrated back into Sligo a while back.

i have been involved in connacht rugby. i would know plenty involved in the game in plenty of clubs in connacht, those who know the game. rugby less popular now compared to when exactly? I dont see it based on my experience of the game. numbers playing teams playing etc"
You still try and claim you had a point by mentioning them. I know all about why they were set up but they failed. That's the point. And here you are still arguing. Even your points to the Athlone poster. Rugby is miles behind GAA, soccer and athletics and that isn't going to change. That was my point. Are you seriously going to try and say I am wrong?


I have 2 kids in primary school currently playing sports. And another one starting shortly. The nearest rugby club is an hour away. There are 4 GAA clubs in a 10 mile radius. and 4 soccer clubs. There are also 2 athletics clubs in that same small area. 3 Boxing clubs. The rugby clubs don't even have girls mini teams. They try and fail. There are more people boxing than playing rugby. Boys and girls. So please tell me about the numbers playing rugby and how they haven't dropped off.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8768 - 23/02/2026 12:35:44    2658094

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Replying To TheFlaker:  "You still try and claim you had a point by mentioning them. I know all about why they were set up but they failed. That's the point. And here you are still arguing. Even your points to the Athlone poster. Rugby is miles behind GAA, soccer and athletics and that isn't going to change. That was my point. Are you seriously going to try and say I am wrong?


I have 2 kids in primary school currently playing sports. And another one starting shortly. The nearest rugby club is an hour away. There are 4 GAA clubs in a 10 mile radius. and 4 soccer clubs. There are also 2 athletics clubs in that same small area. 3 Boxing clubs. The rugby clubs don't even have girls mini teams. They try and fail. There are more people boxing than playing rugby. Boys and girls. So please tell me about the numbers playing rugby and how they haven't dropped off."
I made that point a while back. It's hard to get data on but I genuinely think we have more boxers than rugby players.

Doylerwex (Wexford) - Posts: 4278 - 23/02/2026 13:00:02    2658110

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Claremorris built a club from underage to adult teams in about 15 years, fair play to them. I used to play for Ballyhaunis in 90s, early 2000s. We used to get players from South Sligo, Kiltimagh,Ballaghdereen, Charlestown, Ballinlough and we'd be stuck if we could only have Ballyhaunis players. Pretty much everyone played at least one other of Gaelic Football, Hurling or soccer. Some lads would play Gaelic on a Saturday, soccer in Sunday morning and rugby in the evening. Them were the days! Dunmore were our local, nearest rivals but Ballinrobe, close enough, played in the race track. Good to see that now there's 4 clubs within about a 15 mile radius, none in a big town compared to Castlebar and Ballina. But they're sports mad towns other than just rugby. Clubs don't start themselves and while it's no harm having the national team going well it won't keep numbers going to trainining and dedicated parents bringing kids to training and matches. Same with all sports. IRFU organising coaching sessions in schools is great but needs push from teachers, parents for clubs. I'm convinced that there's many an adult who like watching rugby on the telly that would rarely go to their local club to watch their underage or adults mens and women team play.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8445 - 23/02/2026 14:00:49    2658137

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Replying To Doylerwex:  "I made that point a while back. It's hard to get data on but I genuinely think we have more boxers than rugby players."
We absolutely do. Now perhaps in the rugby strongholds in Dublin, Galway and Munster numbers would say otherwise but county by county outside of that Rugby is 6th most popular sport. I am leaving golf out of the debate.

TheFlaker (Mayo) - Posts: 8768 - 23/02/2026 14:14:08    2658145

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Replying To zinny:  "A couple of points on this. While rugby likes to say its a game for all sizes, its perhaps more accurate to say that its a game for all sizes but those sizes fit into different positions. In minis nobody is really going to know where a player will eventually play so they get the freedom to learn the skills and enjoy the game. After that it becomes a bit more serious and a lad who played in the forwards in minis may now look as if he really is not suited to it however with smaller numbers in a club there may be no choice and players end up playing in positions they are just not suited to. This doesn't really happen in the GAA or Soccer, sure there will be bigger players but the nature of the games do not contain the level of physicality needed that rugby does. So its not just a numbers game but a numbers game for particular positions. Some kids will just prefer rugby but I would say the majority will stay with the GAA if they also find that they are doing well in it. In some respect the decision could be just circumstance of where the kids is and what is happening around them.
I would argue that Hurling has the same problem as Rugby when it comes to getting parents across the line who have never been involved with the game in the past. They love watching the game but it all looks a bit too wild and dangerous for little Johnny to be playing. Of course that has not been helped by the attitude of some of the commentators on games at the intercounty level who have glorified big (illegal) hits etc. After all these years how successful has the GAA been in spreading Hurling to areas outside its main catchment counties. Anyone expecting international success to drive up continued participation (I would say beyond u14 level) in Rugby outside their main catchment areas really need to think again, but perhaps its not needed, Ireland has always been (even in the very lean years) one of the top 12 rugby teams in the world so even if its only an extra two or three players that come out of the "expansion" then it works.
While some may not like rugby because of its history (which is interwoven with a particular class), I do not see it as a threat to the GAA, Soccer always has and always will be the main competitor for the GAA."
Yes, that is why the 2 back row forwards were moved to the centre positions. They were bigger and more powerful at that time than my lad. Not anymore but it was enough for my lad to stop. The collisions got much bigger overnight and he didnt want to miss out on other sports due to rugby injury.
Your point is also well made on hurling facing similar problems. As a limerick man living in Midlands it is definitely an issue when it comes to promoting hurling. In my experience they tend to drop hurling and rugby and stick with GF and soccer unless they are particularly good at rugby/hurling or particularly bad at GF and soccer.
Its a challenge promoting hurling and Rugby. There is no rugby club within the county of Roscommon. Creggs are a North East Galway club who pull players from Roscommon but not a Roscommon club. Then there is the travel issue. Kids are on buses for hours to play a game. That doesnt happen so much in limerick for example. You are leaving Athlone at 8am to plsy Ballina or Sligo at 11am. Its a full day gone. Its an inhibitor.
Hurling suffers from not enough teams to play and now the Tain League means similar travel to rugby.
GF and soccer have far less challenges in that regard in the Midlands and connacht particularly

Tadhg2020 (Limerick) - Posts: 34 - 23/02/2026 14:42:17    2658157

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Replying To Tadhg2020:  "Yes, that is why the 2 back row forwards were moved to the centre positions. They were bigger and more powerful at that time than my lad. Not anymore but it was enough for my lad to stop. The collisions got much bigger overnight and he didnt want to miss out on other sports due to rugby injury.
Your point is also well made on hurling facing similar problems. As a limerick man living in Midlands it is definitely an issue when it comes to promoting hurling. In my experience they tend to drop hurling and rugby and stick with GF and soccer unless they are particularly good at rugby/hurling or particularly bad at GF and soccer.
Its a challenge promoting hurling and Rugby. There is no rugby club within the county of Roscommon. Creggs are a North East Galway club who pull players from Roscommon but not a Roscommon club. Then there is the travel issue. Kids are on buses for hours to play a game. That doesnt happen so much in limerick for example. You are leaving Athlone at 8am to plsy Ballina or Sligo at 11am. Its a full day gone. Its an inhibitor.
Hurling suffers from not enough teams to play and now the Tain League means similar travel to rugby.
GF and soccer have far less challenges in that regard in the Midlands and connacht particularly"
It's less than a 2 hour spin from Athlone to Sligo or Ballina. Kids don't have much trouble being with their mates for a day not in school. They prefer it to being brought in a car and good for team spirit. Parents can encourage them too at the start, maybe nervous with kids they don't know well. If a few hours on a bus are putting them off then maybe sport is not for them.

GreenandRed (Mayo) - Posts: 8445 - 23/02/2026 15:11:28    2658167

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