In today’s subscriber only piece, Gerry Thornley writes declining attendances are a major concern for rugby as Irish provinces are not alone in seeing a fall in match-day goers since the Covid pandemic. In the last full season before Covid hit, 2018-19, the average home attendance for the four Irish provinces was 12,502, which last season was down to 10,242. More than 50,000 attended Munster-Leinster at the Aviva in October 2018, currently ticket sales are about 35,000 for Saturday’s equivalent. It comes as English Premiership side Wasps have entered administration, making playing and coaching staff redundant. A grim day for English rugby marked by almost 170 lay-offs at the beleaguered rugby club.
Scannell and Munster are relishing another crack at Leinster as the experienced hooker says competitive derby games still retain their special aura as he looks ahead to Aviva showdown. “The quality of opposition is just so high now and you know it’s brought in the whole league on,” Scannell says. Meanwhile, Stuart Lancaster is cautiously optimistic the Leinster trio of Hugo Keenan, James Lowe and Jamison Gibson-Park will make Ireland’s November Tests. Lowe and Gibson-Park have calf and hamstring injuries but Keenan will also step up his rehabilitation this week from abdominal and knee injuries.
As GAA back room teams have got bigger and bigger, Cork opposition analyst Tim Healy says that is for good reason as someone who has studied data in GAA. He believes that “functional specialisation” will spread through the GAA at intercounty level. “The GAA needs to discuss and decide whether to introduce rule changes or to ensure money spent on coaching is achieving certain preordained objectives. Right now, it is difficult to see what coaches have been doing on the ground, when the very best players don’t all have the range of skills that they ought to have,” Healy says.
Wexford GAA are set to sign off on 96-week suspension for a St Joseph’s mentor as a referee and umpire were allegedly assaulted and gardaí alerted after a match between St Joseph’s and Our Lady’s Island. Meanwhile, Kilmacud Crokes captain Shane Cunningham acknowledges Shane Walsh’s huge role in narrow win over Na Fianna which secured back-to-back Dublin county titles and they’re now focused on the Leinster club championship.
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In golf, Rory McIlroy eyes the world number one spot as he defends the CJ Cup on the PGA Tour this week. A stellar field includes current top player Scottie Scheffler and Irish players Shane Lowry and Séamus Power. The Northern Irishman will need to win or potentially finish solo second but also rely on how Scottie Scheffler fares. In other golf news, the “Wild Thing” John Daly’s life is bound for the big screen. The dual Major winner’s colourful personal history and lifestyle makes his character a good fit for a movie portrayal with reports that Jonah Hill will play the role.
In soccer, Alexia Putellas and Karim Benzema have been crowned 2022 Ballon d’Or winners after great seasons for Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively. Jürgen Klopp is sweating on the referee’s report after his red card as the Liverpool manager will learn if additional punishment is in store after being sent to stand in win over Manchester City. In boxing, Johnny Watterson writes Ireland is heading for an unprecedented European medal haul at boxing championships with nine Irish boxers into the quarter-finals at the women’s European Championships in Budva, Macedonia. In athletics, there are concerns over Athletics Ireland decision of imposing a new running levy on non-members as anyone not registered with an Irish athletics club will face an extra €2 on their entry, for each race their enter, starting from January.
