Why can opposing fans in a rugby game stand close together without getting into a fight whereas football(soccer)fans will fight at the least provocation?Is it anything to do with the game or do all the chavs go to watch football?
If a soccer fan strayed to the wrong end he'd be lucky to end up in hospital..whereas rugby fans can go wherever they like.
I did n't specify rugby union..rugby league is the same...they are n't Hooray Henrys!!

there seems to be a jealousy from rugby fans here,everytime the rugby team win a few games you get people slagging of football,.

overpaid prima donnas,well rugby boys are already ultra rich,i suspect its cos you dont like working class doing well for themselves,was the same crap with the cricket a few years ago.

theyre real men? if thats what you like why dont you watch boxing or a martial art? being more macho dosent make the sport more of a spectacle.

they play with more passion? well considering the lack of skill its all they had,i mean fair play to the players,cant take aay from the way they battled but chrisy were they boring.

its a better sport? well i you all thought that why are the gates so low? most rugby gates would be poor for league one in the football league

if you genuinely love rugby then good luck to you but stop the comparing,its embaressing.

I must admit i did not manage to watch the england game( no sky sports) altho i did watch the welsh game.But after they kept on cheering everytime the england scoreline was mentioned...i found this very disrespectful.I and many english rugby fans would root for them along with scotland and ireland...i see us all as one. Or should i say i was thinking along those lines.But Now,i hope the welsh players get stuffed in all the games that they play.It just goes to show what a backward bunch of welsh tossers they are and still live in the dark ages. Its no wonder people say that the welsh are very racist towards the english......yesturday they proved it.

Reading many of the questions in answers here there's a definite anti-NZ sentiment from Irish rugby fans. We're used to this from the pompous Pommies (and we know them better than you do) and the abrasive Jocks. And we get it from the odd (untypically loser like) Wallabies, Springboks and Wales supporter. It's not something we haven't heard before and we give as little consideration as ever.

But it does strike me as sort of curiously odd. Outside of Rugby (where you're just emerging as a major player) we have bugger all to do with each other. And yet I'm getting told how we're poachers, arrogant (as both a team and an entire country) that we're not as great as we think we are (by people who sound like they don't actually know that much), that we're cheating scumbags and how we have too many sheep... or something. [shrugs shoulders]

Amongst the ones that made me laugh was one where someone said we're more arrogant than the English. I wonder if that someone was watching Rugby when Johnstone stood the England tem in the Irish spot and made the Irish president walk on the grass.
This same wannabe wind-up merchant also said that the Aussies arrogance is tongue and cheek... as though ours isn't. I mean LOL, wtf??? I can only guess her opinions on antipodeans is formed more from Rugby columns in British newspapers than actual personal experience. I don't mind the ockers at all, but of the SH supporters they're easily the thinnest skinned and easiest to wind up in banter. I mean LOL, nobody gets a head-swell over sports success like the good old Aussies!

Well anyway, although I don't really care what people might think, what I would like to know is whether you Irish have always held the nation of NZ in such low regard? Or is it just because of that dumping of O'Driscoll (which is misnamed a spear tackle) during the Lions tour of 2005?
Okay. Just a couple of question:

Has anyone actually, in front of their face ,had a personal experience with an NZ rugby fan or have they just HEARD we're so super arrogant? From newspapers and all that.

And wtf do you mean abut NZ proclaiming itself the best? fans just usually go on form and readily admit it if the Wallabies and 'Boks are looking like beating us. Unlike the English RU the NZRU's never ever proclaimed itself the best.
To Richie (again): to tell you the truth unlike English, Welsh, French or Jock Rugby fans I've hardly ever come across Irish people that into Rugby.
Don't take this the wrong way but you're not seen amongst the major rugby playing nations. Most of the Mickers I've come across weren't that into rugger and didn't know too much about it.
Okay IRISH AND PROUD:
When in the UK two years ago people all the time at my work (I sadly had to work with upper class ponces) and at the boozer would try and talk about Rugby with me. And would say things like "this year's the AB's year" and that Carter's the best ever. Ironically it was me who said that SA were looking strong with their coach and to never write off the Wallabies.
Same story whenever I was in Edinburgh. And the Welsh, well of course they love their rugby.

But Irish people I met through work, at the boozer/parties and in Ireland always had other things to talk about. The only exception was in Cork, except that was just some losers trying to pick a fight with me. Even in NZ and Aus Irish people I've associated with seemed more interested in music, current affairs or books.
And while you're looking pretty good at Rugby now, 10 years ago and before you were seen as pretty average and not likely to be more than competitive against even France and England. It's all recent
And another thing. We're not just blowing our arses when we say we're the best. We sincerely mean it. We're not a very nationalist nor patriotic country. When the Springboks or Wallabies are better we happily concede it... well maybe not the cantabs... but the rest of us will. We call a spade a spade. If England or France or Ireland ever do field a stronger XV that plays better rugby we WILL say it.
And not winning the RWC doesn't change a thing. It's just a knock-out tourney every 4 years and it doesn't meant that much. Does the best team ever win the FIFA world cup? or any other wold cup? it's not a league or a 5 test tour it's a knockout tourney. Its open to upsets. What matters is how the games played by the teams and the results reflect it.
The fact no team has better win/loss record indicates we've usually been the best. The Springbok and Wallaby records against us shows they're not far behind.
Call me arrogant, but it's like calling me arrogant for saying the sky's blue.
Hone: look at the Wallaby record against the AB's since 1990. Much more even.
Rugby's only recently become a major sport in Australia. It was a real minority sport before the 80's and we gave them thrashing after thrashing.
by Alex:
"Ask any rugby fan and they'll tell you it's all about the world cup - the biggest event any nation can win - fact!"
Fact only for the NH old bean! the SH has already got something(s) better.
And the SH's opinion is more valid...

Hearts yesterday launched an innovative move to target 35,000 Scottish rugby fans. Making use of e-marketing Captain Steven Pressley wrote to Scottish Rugby Supporters to invite them, on behalf of Hearts Supporters, to come to the forthcoming Champions League fixtures to be played at Murrayfield.

In his email the Hearts skipper issued the call: "The matches are set to be played out in front of large crowds, given the significantly increased popularity of Hearts. If you are new to football, or it has been a long time since you watched a game live, then come along because you won't be disappointed".

Is this a very clever move by Hearts commersial department and do you think it will increase the match attendance?

Wondering if there were some kind hearted female rugby fans who could take me under their wing 2moro? Dying to go and watch with true rugby fans and do the customery drinking too.