Articles

Rugby's core values Posted almost 12 years ago

Rugby people have always prided themselves in how the game is played and its supporters behave. The modern game is different from the amateur era and it is time to question whether the behavior of rugby crowds has deteriorated and if supporters realise or even care.

The RFU established a task force in 2007 to articulate rugby’s core values. They identified five principles which lie at the heart of the game in England; namely teamwork, discipline, enjoyment, sportsmanship and respect. They developed each of these principles and in the case of respect made the following comments:

“Mutual respect forms the basis of our sport. We hold in high esteem our sport, its values and traditions and earn the respect of others in the way we behave. We respect our match officials and accept our decisions. We respect opposition players and supporters. We value our coaches and those who run our clubs and treat clubhouses with consideration.”

Thankfully, referees are still afforded the respect they deserve by players. The captain is allowed to seek clarification of decisions from the referee and request that closer attention is paid to certain aspects of opponents play. It is argued that supporters have no means of expressing their frustration with the referee other than by booing. This has become the accepted reaction to referee decisions (questionable or otherwise).

The manner in which fans demonstrate support for their team during a game can vary from country to country but generally includes cheering, clapping, singing, whistling, wearing team colours, waving flags and so on. It can make for a colourful and atmospheric occasion. What detracts from the occasion, however, is the bad-mannered booing of opponents which now dominates so many games. It is rare for a player to take a kick at goal without a cacophony of boos from opposing supporters. The motivation for booing is questionable as it generally does not distract kickers. The silence during kicks at Thomond Park or Lansdowne Road may indeed be more off-putting for kickers.

At moments of high controversy even the best behaved supporters have been known to vent their frustration in uncharacteristic fashion. In 1978, JPR Williams famously late-tackled Mike Gibson at Lansdowne Road and was incessantly booed for the remainder of his career by Irish supporters – supposedly the role models in crowd behavior.

In South Africa, New Zealand and Australia goal-kicks can no longer be taken in silence and in fact an undesirable boorish element has crept into the game. Quade Cooper was guilty of a number of cheap shots on Richie McCaw during 2011 which resulted in him being vilified by the New Zealand rugby public during the world cup. Cooper was booed throughout the tournament until he was carried from the field with a serious knee injury in the 3rd / 4th place playoff. Cooper had a shocking world cup and his behaviour was exemplary throughout. There was no excuse for the abuse he was subjected to.

There appears to be a reluctant acceptance of this unsporting behaviour on the part of administrators. Children who are learning about rugby probably believe that booing at games is acceptable. They will grow up knowing no better and the spirit of the game will have changed for ever. Is it not time for clubs, franchises and unions to insist on an improvement in the behaviour of their supporters? Or are we prepared to watch the game we love suffer a similar fate to other professional sports?

Enter your email address to continue reading

We frequently post interesting articles and comment from our world class content providers so please provide us with your email address and we will notify you when new articles are available.

We'll also get in touch with various news and updates that we think will interest you. We promise to not spam, sell, or otherwise abuse your address (you can unsubscribe at any time).

See all News & Opinions videos

Comments

comments powered by Disqus

Our undercover man inside the game.

Comments
Topic News & Opinions
Applicable to Coaches  

Related articles

The sad passing of Cliff Morgan

The sad passing of Cliff Morgan is worthy of comment, as he was not just one of the greatest fly-halves the game has ever seen but also one of rugby’s most respected commentators.

The great Wallaby fly-half debate

Ewen McKenzie has had plenty of time to prepare for the challenges of his new position as Wallaby coach – he’s been preparing for the job ever since he retired from playing.

Crusaders let down by fans

The two abiding memories of Saturday’s S15 playoff game were the complete dominance of the Crusaders over the Reds and the incessant booing of Quade Cooper by the home supporters

The good, the bad and the rugby of the Lion’s Tour

The four year cycle of tours feels about right and their rarity is one aspect that makes the Lions so special. For the majority of host players, they get one chance against the Lions and whether it’s at Test or provincial level, win or lose, it’s likely to be a career highlight.

Gatland Rolls the Dice

With 10 Welsh, 3 Irish and 2 English players, Gatland is placing his trust with the players who have served him well in the Six Nations. He also has the dubious distinction of being the first coach to drop O’Driscoll in the Irishman’s fourteen year international career.