04/16/24
June 14, 2006
Rugby players boycott media: Irish rugby players, upset at coverage of their loss to New Zealand are refusing to talk to David Kelly, I think it is this article that is the problem. When the players refused to talk to him at a press conference, all the other journalists left the room in solidarity.
Sorry, should have mentioned. It is free reg, and Bugmenot have the following: username - gorram@gmail.com password - gorram
posted by Fence at 05:08 AM on June 14, 2006
Thanks. The second piece was sloppily written (with hindsight, the use of the word "invidious" is amusing) and perhaps a tad on the grumpy side, but it seems a bit of a strong reaction from the Irish team.
posted by JJ at 05:24 AM on June 14, 2006
It does seem a little OTT, but they've also said that previous articles by the same journalist have been in the same vein. And the whole team are very grumpy at the moment, because of their loss. Gutted seemed to be a favourite word in the aftermath. Of course when you aren't talking to the media it can be very difficult to get your side of the story out.
posted by Fence at 05:30 AM on June 14, 2006
Looks like it has been resolved.
posted by Fence at 09:41 AM on June 14, 2006
A nation of violent drunks, so I might watch my ass with that talk. Given where your head is, not tough to do.
posted by yerfatma at 01:26 PM on June 14, 2006
WHO THE HELL CARES????? Well, obviously several of the other members of this site care. Read the guidelines and don't shit on somebody else's thread. You don't care, shut the hell up and go look at a different thread, but don't publicly soil yourself and trash the thread because you're not a rugby fan.
posted by The_Black_Hand at 03:10 PM on June 14, 2006
What was so offensive in that second article? Brian O'Driscoll may be a great player, but he sure is a big whiner. See the whole furore over the spear-tackle issue in the Lions tour; what a mountain out of a molehill that was.
posted by afx237vi at 04:52 PM on June 14, 2006
for fear of asking a dumb question is there a difference between rughby and austraillian ruled football?
posted by blakrain at 06:04 PM on June 14, 2006
Yes, they're completely different sports. Rugby union and rugby league are also two separate variations on the same sport. Fence's links are about rugby union. -> Aussie rules -> Rugby union -> Rugby league
posted by afx237vi at 06:32 PM on June 14, 2006
for fear of asking a dumb question is there a difference between rughby and austraillian ruled football? Don't worry, for many years the Sydney Swans couldn't tell the difference either.
posted by owlhouse at 07:12 PM on June 14, 2006
Seems like the earlier news about the players being all friends with the press again was a lie. And the problem is still bubling away. And judging by the Irish Independent's coverage today (see bugmenot reg details above) the media think they are in the right.
posted by Fence at 03:12 AM on June 15, 2006
While David Kelly irks me and his style is clearly designed to inflame the situation, I would have to agree with his assessment of our national character - we don't take criticism well. We have traded so long on our image as a carefree, semi-alcoholic nation with no higher priority than having a bit of a laugh, that when we get close to being the best at something (and attract the criticism that inevitably comes when people pay closer attention) we bottle it. Roy Keane leaving the World Cup squad in 2002 is a prime example. He felt the attitude in the dressing room was all wrong - that once again the Irish had turned up for a bit of craic and never mind the result. Keane recognised that having qualified and done quite well in 1990 and 1994, it was bad that Ireland hadn't qualified in 1998 and the time had come in 2002 to prove that they belonged in the World Cup. He wanted to win the bloody thing, but no one in the team seemed to share his belief that they could or his commitment to try - so he walked. The Irish rugby team has been knocking on the door of the elite teams for a few years now, but something in the national psyche - the ability to first take offence and then bear a grudge - will probably cost us. We're so used to being the clowns that when we try to be serious, we tend to over-egg the pudding. (I say "we" - I'm from Northern Ireland, but in rugby, we play together as one island - as we do in golf and cricket)
posted by JJ at 04:26 AM on June 15, 2006
I'm not a fan of the Indo's style of writing, through the whole paper it is a case of attack whenever possible. I'd somewhat agree that we don't take criticism well, but does anyone when it is clearly designed to provoke a reaction? I'm not sure the players are in the right, but I do think that the entire press corp walking out is in the wrong. Did any of the other journalists walk out when Jack Charlton refused to talk to Eamonn Dunphy?
posted by Fence at 08:32 AM on June 15, 2006
No - but that was Dunphy - different rules apply! Some nationalities seem to take criticism, chew it up, and spit it back in your face (Kiwis for instance!).
posted by JJ at 09:15 AM on June 15, 2006
Or was it just our unswerving loyalty to Big Jack :)
posted by Fence at 09:52 AM on June 15, 2006
Need a registration for the second article, Fence. Do you have one?