A hooligans’ game played by gentlemen

Picture yourself in a pub just miles outside Dublin. Rowdy Irish Rugby fans of all ages (literally children to adult) dot the bar stools and tables filling the entire place. England is up 16-13 after a 3-pt goal (field goal) and an edgy yet somber mood fills the air. There are 9 minutes left on the clock and England has possession. Ireland’s captain, Brian O’Driscoll took a knee to the head less than 10 minutes before and his game is over. The Irish regain possession and an Irish player takes the ball off of a line out. He’s running down the field. Shouts of “COME ON IRE’LAND!” echo throughout the pub. The ball is passed as the player meets the English line. Passed again, AND THE IRISH SCORE! The pub explodes in accented cheers! After a quick post-try goal, they’re up 20-16.

There are few things quite like watching a Six Nations rugby game in Dublin. Rugby has all the intensity and hard hitting of football without the pads. It’s a brutal game – all of the guys look like they could break me in half over their knee cap with one hand and yet they’re obscenely fast on the pitch.

Six Nations Rugby is particularly intense because it would be like taking the six best NFL teams, placing them in their own league, and the entire season is playoffs. You only get to play each team once, you don’t get another shot. Ireland, England, Wales, Scotland, Italy, and France make up the union and the UK/Ireland teams compete for the “Triple Crown” awarded to a team who can successfully beat each of the other three in one season. (Ireland won both last season.)

Another peculiar yet hilarious thing is Guinness Area 22, the official fan zone for the Ireland rugby team. It’s not so much that beer isn’t associated with football in the US, it’s just that I’ve never seen it so closely tied to the fan aspect of a sport. Literally every week, I get notifications for Guinness Area 22 sponsored events. As much as you’d see Gatorade or Powerade at a football game, you see Area 22 plastered everywhere. I suppose it demonstrates how deeply it’s rooted in the Irish beer drinking culture.

I’d obviously heard of rugby (and seen a bit of it) before I came to Ireland, as a couple of my high school teachers played the game at UIllinois and enjoyed regaling their college memories to the class. As well, I watched a ripped-off copy of “Invictus” in the first few weeks after being here, which got me into the sport. Despite this, I think had I not been exposed to the Irish rugby culture, I’d never have gotten into it at all, or not nearly as much as I am after seeing a few of the Six Nations games.

 
Irelands tries (touch down equivalent) in the RBS Six Nations Grand Slam 2009.