Ulster 2018-2019

[Xanthippe]

By my estimate only about 12% of the population of Limerick city were there.
We'll see next weekend what percentage of the population of Dublin will be in the RDS.
I'm expecting less than 2%

You can come back from this Tom!
It won't be easy but one day you may regain some small measure of credibility

[suisse]

Deserter

a member of the armed forces who deserts

The Red Army is lacking plenty of foot soldiers these days. They'll be back for the A list games of course.

Munster's attendance last night was greater than ours last week.

It's funny how the whole 'greatest fans in the world' nonsense has unravelled, but our attendances aren't fantastic either most of the time.

I've regularly written here that Leinster's attendances are not very good. I was at 2 European games in 2016-2017 v Castres and Montpelier. The Castres game was played on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and 13,000 showed up. Given the size of the province and city, and the lack of competition between Sept and May, the numbers at the RDS are disappointing.

I think most Leinster fans are aware of that. Leinster fans don't play up their support. We don't take 20,000 to France for a semi but at least the numbers are somewhat consistent.

[leinsterforever]

I wonder if coming down from altitude was a factor. I think I heard/read somewhere that it hits you a week after you return to sea level

Could go some way to explaining Glasgow against the Kings as well? - If indeed they left Bloemfontein straight after the Cheetahs match. I think SA teams know to leave altitude the day before a game at sea level. That way they'll be supercharged

[tomthefan]

I've regularly written here that Leinster's attendances are not very good. I was at 2 European games in 2016-2017 v Castres and Montpelier. The Castres game was played on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and 13,000 showed up. Given the size of the province and city, and the lack of competition between Sept and May, the numbers at the RDS are disappointing.

I think most Leinster fans are aware of that. Leinster fans don't play up their support. We don't take 20,000 to France for a semi but at least the numbers are somewhat consistent.

He's using the fact that Munster have a bigger travelling support than Leinster as a criticism of Munster supporters, OK.

[Flash Gordon]

Deserter

a member of the armed forces who deserts

The Red Army is lacking plenty of foot soldiers these days. They'll be back for the A list games of course.

Munster's attendance last night was greater than ours last week.

It's funny how the whole 'greatest fans in the world' nonsense has unravelled, but our attendances aren't fantastic either most of the time.

I've regularly written here that Leinster's attendances are not very good. I was at 2 European games in 2016-2017 v Castres and Montpelier. The Castres game was played on a beautiful Saturday afternoon and 13,000 showed up. Given the size of the province and city, and the lack of competition between Sept and May, the numbers at the RDS are disappointing.

I think most Leinster fans are aware of that. Leinster fans don't play up their support. We don't take 20,000 to France for a semi but at least the numbers are somewhat consistent.

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

[Oldschool]

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

That's only because ww were the best and most entertaining team in the competition.
On top of that any team going unbeaten through a competition also attracts extra interest.

[Flash Gordon]

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

That's only because ww were the best and most entertaining team in the competition.
On top of that any team going unbeaten through a competition also attracts extra interest.

[wixfjord]

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

Yes, like Munster we like turning up for an occasion.

But outside the obvious digs at the 'best fans in the world' there's not much substance behind the 'our crowds are better than yours' jibes.
They should be bigger, and our average league crowd should be much bigger than it is.

[Peg Leg]

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

Yes, like Munster we like turning up for an occasion.

But outside the obvious digs at the 'best fans in the world' there's not much substance behind the 'our crowds are better than yours' jibes.
They should be bigger, and our average league crowd should be much bigger than it is.

Yup, this. But lets not forget the media do their best to drive casual fans away from the league

[tomthefan]

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

Yes, like Munster we like turning up for an occasion.

But outside the obvious digs at the 'best fans in the world' there's not much substance behind the 'our crowds are better than yours' jibes.
They should be bigger, and our average league crowd should be much bigger than it is.

The people in and close to Limerick will turn out for Pro14 games, as will fans in Cork for games in Musgrave Park.
But if attending a match takes the guts of 6 hours from your day, most people will be selective about which games they attend.
People in Munster are pretty good to travel to matches, maybe because that's something they've always had to do, whether for rugby or GAA.
People in Dublin are used to having the big matches on their doorstep.
When you consider that Limerick is about the same size as Galway, it does pretty well.

[fourthirtythree]

If people in Munster are pretty good at travelling to matches, then why don't they? I mean that's the point of the discussion. Why do they turn out in droves to spend days abroad in the sunshine but won't go to Limerick?

Rugby is much better supported in Munster than in Leinster, you can tell this from the viewing figures. TG4 say they get 2/3 the viewers for a Leinster match as they do for a Munster match. And the travel abroad support is obviously huge.

The gates at Thomond park on the other hand are distinctly underwhelming. I don't think TG4 give Munster money based on their viewing figures but gate at TP translates directly into revenue. For some reason Munster have failed to persuade the supporters that attendance at home matches is a thing.

You underestimate the length of time it takes to get in and out of Dublin for those from the rest of Leinster also. In fact, inside Dublin itself travel times to and from the RDS can be very significant. Getting to Limerick can be a lot less hassle as not that many people are doing it on any given day whereas the transport infrastructure in Dublin is creaking badly.

[tomthefan]

It's like talking to the wall.
I live in Munster and I can get to the RDS quicker than I can get to Limerick.
All roads lead to Dublin, no decent roads lead to Limerick from most of Munster.
I need to leave home the guts of three hours before a game to be comfortable and wouldn't get home till 2 hours after.
Including the match, that's the length of a working day pretty much.

[Flash Gordon]

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

Yes, like Munster we like turning up for an occasion.

But outside the obvious digs at the 'best fans in the world' there's not much substance behind the 'our crowds are better than yours' jibes.
They should be bigger, and our average league crowd should be much bigger than it is.

Our LOWEST crowd last year in the Champions Cup compared favourably with the average of former winners like Toulon, Sarries, Bath and Wasps. I still think Leinster have potential to grow given the right marketing of the brand. However, the reality is that we are the biggest club in the Champions Cup with regard to support and Munster are the second biggest. Leinster and Munster fans (as the 2 best supported clubs in the competition) both going "Your fans are shite" is a bit bizarre if I'm honest.

[tomthefan]

We were again BY FAR the best supported team in last year's Champion's Cup. Our average gates was over 34,000 - 10K above the next best supported club.

Yes, like Munster we like turning up for an occasion.

But outside the obvious digs at the 'best fans in the world' there's not much substance behind the 'our crowds are better than yours' jibes.
They should be bigger, and our average league crowd should be much bigger than it is.

Our LOWEST crowd last year in the Champions Cup compared favourably with the average of former winners like Toulon, Sarries, Bath and Wasps. I still think Leinster have potential to grow given the right marketing of the brand. However, the reality is that we are the biggest club in the Champions Cup with regard to support and Munster are the second biggest. Leinster and Munster fans (as the 2 best supported clubs in the competition) both going "Your fans are shite" is a bit bizarre if I'm honest.

What about Ulster, they must be up there as well, their fans turn up in large numbers year after year despite the under-achievement of Ulster for so long.

[OTT]

It's like talking to the wall.
I live in Munster and I can get to the RDS quicker than I can get to Limerick.
All roads lead to Dublin, no decent roads lead to Limerick from most of Munster.
I need to leave home the guts of three hours before a game to be comfortable and wouldn't get home till 2 hours after.
Including the match, that's the length of a working day pretty much.

Re: The Province Formerly Known As Munster 2018-19
Postby tomthefan » September 26th, 2018, 5:38 am

Thanks mildly.
What your figures make stark is how beneficial it is to play almost every game at home.
Everyone knows this already of course, getting a home QF is almost a ticket to the semis. But when your semi in a neutral ground is actually in your home ground also? And then when the final is as well? I seem to remember Munster getting home country advantage against Leinster a couple of times and then playing the match in leinster's home stadium! You couldn't make it up. In fact Munster have never had a home semi final in the hc and yet have still managed to get to 4 finals. How many finals have Leinster gotten to playing away in the semis?
Anyway thanks again for going to all the trouble of looking this up my behalf, fascinating reading.

So what you are saying is that Munster played their home semi final in a stadium that was easier to get to for Munster fans then their home stadium? Well it makes a lot more sense now that the semi was played in Dublin when you put it like that. Continue.

[rooster]

Yes, like Munster we like turning up for an occasion.

But outside the obvious digs at the 'best fans in the world' there's not much substance behind the 'our crowds are better than yours' jibes.
They should be bigger, and our average league crowd should be much bigger than it is.

Our LOWEST crowd last year in the Champions Cup compared favourably with the average of former winners like Toulon, Sarries, Bath and Wasps. I still think Leinster have potential to grow given the right marketing of the brand. However, the reality is that we are the biggest club in the Champions Cup with regard to support and Munster are the second biggest. Leinster and Munster fans (as the 2 best supported clubs in the competition) both going "Your fans are shite" is a bit bizarre if I'm honest.

What about Ulster, they must be up there as well, their fans turn up in large numbers year after year despite the under-achievement of Ulster for so long.

Take out the one off big moves to Lansdowne road and we were top for a while, headed downwards last year and again this year, claim around 12k at present but crowds seem lower

[tomthefan]

So what you are saying is that Munster played their home semi final in a stadium that was easier to get to for Munster fans then their home stadium? Well it makes a lot more sense now that the semi was played in Dublin when you put it like that. Continue.

Yes, except when it's in the away team's home stadium.

[tomthefan]

What about Ulster, they must be up there as well, their fans turn up in large numbers year after year despite the under-achievement of Ulster for so long.

Take out the one off big moves to Lansdowne road and we were top for a while, headed downwards last year and again this year, claim around 12k at present but crowds seem lower

I thought it did look a little less full this year, the couple of games I've seen but still pretty full

[LeRouxIsPHat]

Good to see Best and Stockdale back.

Could be a good game, not expecting the quality to be that great but both teams need to bounce back after last week. Assuming we beat Munster, Connacht could go level/above them with a win. I wouldn't expect Ulster to get any point in Paris in a couple of weeks but it would be great if they could set themselves up nicely for the Leicester game with a good performance/keeping everyone fit tomorrow.

[neill_m]

Good to see Best and Stockdale back.

Could be a good game, not expecting the quality to be that great but both teams need to bounce back after last week. Assuming we beat Munster, Connacht could go level/above them with a win. I wouldn't expect Ulster to get any point in Paris in a couple of weeks but it would be great if they could set themselves up nicely for the Leicester game with a good performance/keeping everyone fit tomorrow.

Hard European group for Ulster with both Racing 92 and Scarlets. Suspect it will be between those 2 to see who wins the group (the other may get through as a lucky loser). Ulster could win their home games in the group, but will struggle on the road. Getting 3rd in the conference in the league is a reasonable goal for Ulster this season.