Rugby

Unclear if Leinster face investigation for ‘Up the Ra’ song

The Wolf Tones song, played in the RDS on Sunday, has caused past controversy in soccer

The Leinster against Connacht match in the United Rugby Championship at the RDS, Dublin. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
The Leinster against Connacht match in the United Rugby Championship at the RDS, Dublin. Photograph: James Crombie/Inpho
Johnny Watterson
Mon Jan 02 2023 - 20:42

It was still unclear on Monday whether Leinster Rugby would face any investigation or sanction after issuing an immediate apology on Sunday when part of a Wolfe Tones song, Celtic Symphony, was played over the public address system in their grounds at the RDS.

The organisers of the competition, United Rugby Championship (URC), could not be contacted for comment.

The song contains the repeated line “ooh ah up the ‘RA, say ooh ah up the ‘RA” and was played after Leinster’s win over Connacht in the URC, the name of the competition.

The song caused controversy in October when a video of the players from the Irish women’s football team sang the song in their changing room after they beat Scotland in a play-off to qualify for next year’s World Cup in Australia.

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The players, manager Vera Pauw and the FAI subsequently apologised. The Uefa Control, Ethics and Disciplinary Body then launched its own investigation and the FAI was fined €20,000 for “violation of the basic rule of decent conduct”.

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Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson

Johnny Watterson is a sports writer with The Irish Times

The Counter Ruck

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