Lansdowne boo disappointing
EVERYTIME something unsavoury happens in either Gaelic Games or Association Football – scraps on and off the field of play, disrespect for referees .. etc, etc – we turn to that old chestnut: it wouldn't happen in rugby.
The only clash between those in the stands and those on the pitch that we can recall in recent times was the Trevor Brennan incident a few years back and that was a case of the player getting stuck into somebody in the stands and not the other way around.
Even then we marvelled at the resolve of the authorities to stamp that kind of thing out. Yes when it came to discipline rugby was the way forward. It still is. Referees are afforded near unqualified respect by players and when players do step over the mark they're reminded by referees of just who's boss.
Referee Nigel Owens ( pictured) recently repremanded a player's dissent in the Heineken Cup by reminding him that "This is not soccer". That warmed many's a heart.
It was unsettling then to hear the unedifying booing of Welsh kicker Leigh Ha'penny for the match winning penalty and the continued booing after the full-time whistle during Sunday's Six Nations game between Ireland and Wales in Dublin.
Okay you might say that the fans didn't understand at the time why the penalty was given – a spear tackle by Stephen Ferris – without seeing a television replay, but still this isn't what we've come to expect from the rugby fraternity.
In fairness if something similar happened in Croke Park in an All Ireland or a Leinster championship game then there'd be a real chance that some lunatic (or several of them) would find their way onto the pitch and head straight for the referee – like what happened in the Leinster final between Meath and Louth a couple of years ago.
And while, yes, that was never on the cards in Lansdowne Road on Sunday afternoon this type of booing is the thin end of the wedge. Booing might seem harmless enough, but it's the atmosphere of invective and aggression that it engenders that's the problem. It gives the potential lunatics the mistaken impression that they've got carte blanche to take matters into their own hands. What happened on Sunday probably represents little more than a coarsening of general society. That's to be lamented. So next time you're at a game and feel the urge to boo at least do this: pause and think about it for a second before you do.
