Ireland v Italy

[bobbysands81]

Will God Save the Queen be played as the Irish anthem?

No.

How come?

I thought that it was when "we" played RRRRRRRUUUUUGGGGBBYYYY in the 06?

[Shankill Browser]

How come? I thought that it was when "we" played RRRRRRRUUUUUGGGGBBYYYY in the 06?

I'd like to think that common sense and the need to compromise has won the day on the anthem front. It has to be remembered that the IRFU and the team Ireland [size=7](pre-date the formation of ROI &NI)[/size] represent the whole island. The anthem of the team is Irelands Call. Amhrán na bhFiann gets played out of respect for the country where the game is played, though its understandable that the players sing that with more gusto than they do Irelands call ...... except the Ulster prods who do the opposite .... but that's understandable too, that's compromise as well. We don't need to hear the Queen. In fact we shouldn't hear it. Good will has to be shown and acknowledgement made of the fact that in the jurisdiction where the game is to be played, half the population don't want to hear it.

[baldur0300]

I made this point when the original discussion took place some months ago when it was decided to play games in Ravenhill; the IRFU are waaaayyyy too smart to allow the uk anthem to be played before the match. They have spent the last decade developing a successful brand. That would be destroyed in the minute it takes to sing that song.