I have to come to the conclusion that I am now some kind of dinosaur when it comes to viewing, writing about, and talking about rugby.
All the talk about different competitions, promotion and relegation, and messing about with the laws of the game, leaves me cold. In fact frozen is more like it. For the first time in over forty years I will not be using my ex internationalist tickets for the six nations at Murrayfield, nor will I be trekking to Twickenham, and I certainly will not be attending the Autumn internationals.
Why as a rugby fanatic, because I cannot describe myself in any other way, am I not going. There is more than one reason, but probably the main one is that my enjoyment as a spectator at the ground has been totally marred by people. I can’t call them spectators or even supporters because they spend their entire time during the match going in and out like a fiddler’s elbow either fetching alcohol or getting rid of the alcohol they have consumed. As a consequence I have missed a number of tries either because my view has been blocked by someone coming in and out of my row, or one of the two or three rows in front of me. In addition, why does everyone have to stand when the action is in the far corner. If we all stayed seated we would still see!!
The solution is simple and that is for the Stewards not to allow anyone in or out until there is a break in play such as an injury, or a timeout whilst the referee and the TMO discuss a potential yellow card. Perhaps even more draconian would be no alcohol from 10 minutes before kick off until full time!
Another reason is pointless internationals, and by that I mean the autumn series which are obviously about to come to an end with another artificial creation by World Rugby.
I am left wondering, did anyone ask the players first, because they are the poor entertainers. Sometimes I feel it is like the Colosseum at Rome, with the players being the gladiators, condemned to fight be injured or wounded until death overcomes them. I realise it is not that bad, but I look at the Fin Smith’s of this world and instead of feeling excitement for what should be a fantastic future, all I see is 10 or eleven months a year rugby. A possible scenario could have been that Northampton made the European Cup Final, which would have meant four highly competitive and exhausting matches in consecutive weeks, with the semi final and final of the premiership. No sooner has he stepped down from that he is off to Japan and New Zealand with England. Then in November, having already started the Premiership in September, there are three England tests against the Springboks, Australia and Tonga.
Then in the early part of 2025 there is the Six Nations, and the season culminates in a possible Lions tour.
Perhaps I am a voice in the wilderness, but I have no interest in the Autumn Tests, they are a pointless exercise in money, nothing else. As far as Wales against the Springboks in June at Twickenham, that must be one of the most pointless fixtures ever.
Talk about killing the golden goose. Dinosaurs like myself hark back to the long tours when the All Blacks might appear once every nine years on a long tour. Play perhaps 28 matches over four months including four tests and a host of district and club matches.
Similarly All Black tours of South Africa, and vice versa.
When the Lions went on tour they went for three or four months, and played all sorts of provincial matches as well as three or four tests. Almost more importantly was their reputation for free flowing rugby. Today there are two or three provincial type games, then three tests on successive Saturdays, meaning some Lions get barely a chance to parade their wares, perhaps even being restricted to a couple of substitute appearances, followed by three weeks of bag holding.
I blame Warren Gatland for much of this, firstly as a New Zealander winning is everything, entertainment comes a very poor second, so it is grind out the victories at all costs. He has destroyed what the Lions of 71 and 74 achieved and how they achieved it. He never understood that entertainment and success can be combined, and he had the talent at his disposal, he just chose not to use it.
Infrequent major tours covering the whole country were marvellous not only because of their rarity, but also the opportunity for grounds everywhere to be packed with real rugby fans who wouldn’t normally get to see the stars of the game. Twickenham today as an example must be half full of non rugby men and women there for the ‘experience’.
How fed up must the players in the All Blacks, Springboks be playing each other twice a season and as for the Bledisloe Cup. I could go on. We cannot allow the money men, sponsors, TV companies etc flog rugby to death. Boredom will arrive as it has in this household, and then where will the game be then?