Owen Farrell wants noisy Twickenham

Kickers like a bit of atmosphere...!

"It's not unnerving [when the crowd is quiet], it's just a bit weird - it's good to have an atmosphere," he said. Farrell kicked through boos and jeers at Munster earlier in the season and afterwards he said: "There was no problem with the crowd, I'd rather have a bit of noise."

"It's a bit strange when 80,000 people are quiet," he added. "I don't quite understand that. I think they booed at Scotland last year but it doesn't matter, it's all within the game. It doesn't bother me whatsoever."

http://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/0/rugby-union/21207375

Good attitude from the lad, though in saying that I've never had the inclination as a spectator, to make any sort of noise while a kicker is doing his thing. Why would you want to?

ermmm..

each to there own i suppose..


basically he is just saying simply that nothing phases him and he is being respectfull to all fans everywhere..

He has the right attitude does farrel- you want see him ever doing a haskel,manu, ashton etc

I like the notion of the crowd being silent during kicks at goal. Good, solid, old fashioned Rugby tradition.

A bit surprised the article mentions being booed at Munster, though. Usually before a kick there are 20,000 people telling the rest to 'sssshhhh'.

doctor_grey wrote:I like the notion of the crowd being silent during kicks at goal. Good, solid, old fashioned Rugby tradition.

A bit surprised the article mentions being booed at Munster, though. Usually before a kick there are 20,000 people telling the rest to 'sssshhhh'.

I still find it hard to get used to at a game - I'd never encountered the concept before moving to the uk. SH crowds treat the kick like any other part of the game, while the French cheer their kickers.

i prefer silence offcourse.. Its the british thing and the true tradition of this sport and all brit sports-silence, sportsmanship and respect

But its all changing these days. So not that bothered tbh, not much can be changed-embrace it rather than get worked up!

Pete,
I think its really a bit of an odd thing. It is a big part of the crowd experience at some clubs, such as Saints, Leicester, Munster. But not at all part of things at some other clubs in UK/Ire. Certainly not in France.

Personally, I like it a lot, but don't knock fans of other teams if they don't do it. Its just something some of us do. I can't think of another sport where anything like this happens. And if some kickers find it un-nerving, then good on us.

"I can't think of another sport where anything like this happens"

golf demands silence when hitting the ball!! in the same way kickers do in rugby.. Same concept, same difference!

I always thought it would be unnerving for their to be silence, and especially at home I'd want all my home fans cheering for me as I stepped up to kick it. But then again, I don't kick and I don't play in front of 80,000 people, so this is just a feeling I had. I wouldn't boo an opposition kicker, I don't agree with that, but if the crowd were cheering for my team's kicker I'd probably join in. If everyone was silence I'd probably sit in silence too.

Owen will get his wish in Cardiff -

I don't remember hearing a kicker ever complain about booing and most of them seem to have a 'bring it on!' attitude like Farrell.

I've not got a particular problem with booing, but it's those air horns that are annoying. In fact they're just annoying full stop!

RubyGuby wrote:Owen will get his wish in Cardiff -

Dont you mean he wont get his wish?

As if he gets his wish he's knocking over a conversion or pen against you!

mystiroakey wrote:"I can't think of another sport where anything like this happens"

golf demands silence when hitting the ball!! in the same way kickers do in rugby.. Same concept, same difference!

You're right, of course. But I was thinking really of team sport played in stadia.

Cyril on 606v2 wrote:I don't remember hearing a kicker ever complain about booing and most of them seem to have a 'bring it on!' attitude like Farrell.

I've not got a particular problem with booing, but it's those air horns that are annoying. In fact they're just annoying full stop!

Should defo be banned. Worst things ever.

Pete C (Kiwireddevil) wrote:

doctor_grey wrote:I like the notion of the crowd being silent during kicks at goal. Good, solid, old fashioned Rugby tradition.

A bit surprised the article mentions being booed at Munster, though. Usually before a kick there are 20,000 people telling the rest to 'sssshhhh'.

I still find it hard to get used to at a game - I'd never encountered the concept before moving to the uk. SH crowds treat the kick like any other part of the game, while the French cheer their kickers.

Only noticed it this season but the French (I think Clermont in particular) do a slow hand clap which builds up pace as the kicker lines up for the shot, and this is for their own kicker. Seems to work though.

Can't understand people shouting when everyone is silent for a kink, but then I guess a few make anything seem like a good idea.

I suppose doc. I mean fans are hardly quiet during a penalty kick in football. Or even during every cricket bowl..

But then there is something to admire about etiquite.. Rugby should be a very disciplined game

I just hope the lad can really learn some creativity...bewcause with that authority and assuredness he could be a top top controlling FH.

But ive always thought its easier to pick up the physical things than it is to "learn " the creative stuff...

Mysti,
It is certainly an antiquated, old fashioned notion. But, I suppose being raised with it, I really like it. On the other hand, I don't hold anything against fans or teams where people aren't quiet during kicks. Just different or local flavour, I suppose.

Besides, I like a lot of older traditions. The other day someone accused me of not coming to terms with balls not made of leather. And let's not talk about shirts without collars.......

RubyGuby wrote:Owen will get his wish in Cardiff -

After the booing of GSTQ?

doctor_grey wrote:I like the notion of the crowd being silent during kicks at goal. Good, solid, old fashioned Rugby tradition.

A bit surprised the article mentions being booed at Munster, though. Usually before a kick there are 20,000 people telling the rest to 'sssshhhh'.

I agree Ireland is usually deathly silent... Far more intimidating as the kicker knows everyone is watching. They feel the pressure for sure.

Farrell is a very young lad but already a World Class goal kicker. He uses the Neil Jenkins/Jonny Wilkinson method of apparently blocking out everything around him and focusing on the task at hand.

Very impressive for such a young lad.

I want Owen Farrell in the Saxons....we can't have everything

As an opposition fan i dont rate him massively as a player but a a kicker he is exceptional and those three points make wins.

doctor_grey wrote:

mystiroakey wrote:"I can't think of another sport where anything like this happens"

golf demands silence when hitting the ball!! in the same way kickers do in rugby.. Same concept, same difference!

You're right, of course. But I was thinking really of team sport played in stadia.

What about that sport for deaf people in the paralympics? You have to shut up the entire game in that.

Hes league born and bred, what would he know about Union tradition and manners.

deaf sports people don't do the Paralympics.

There is a separate deaflympics believe it or not. It looks very similar to normal sports, but being deaf changes everything especially in team sports. It becomes very tiring especially if there is a lot of communication. The focus and teamwork is taken up to another level as the visual comms are heightened.

I was hard of hearing and am now considered deaf, I have gone from being able to be aware of other players around me to having to fit into playing just by using visual and tempo dynamics. My sport is volleyball which I play to a high level, this is different to all non-racquet/stick/bat sports in that the ball never stops moving once in play.
This means that 90% of your concentration via vision is focused on the ball.

If rugby players wanted to get better hand to eye co-ordination then playing touch 7s with noise cancelling earbuds would help them focus.

Matt Gilbert is a great back row player recently playing for the Scarlets who is deaf, awesome player. I'm not sure if he's still there

i suppose there is no reason why deaf people shouldnt be able to compete alongside people with adequate hearing especially in athletics and individual sports(golf cycling- would be good examples

Whats your thoughts on that Damage?

And why dont we have any that do.?

surely the disabilty shouldnt hinder you enough and as you say other senses are heightened.

edit- thanks ruby! we do !

Thats why I specifically mentioned team sports although there are the some sports that make you wonder if the disability effects that disciple type.

However you have to remember that its not just the competing where the disability kicks in, coaching, learning and training would all take a bit longer due to communication and accessibility to deaf people.

Once there though, at the Deaflympic Games, no communication barriers exist. Athletes compete and interact with each other freely in sign language without the need for sign language interpreters except where hearing officials are involved.

There are no unique sports for deaf athletes - they compete on all levels in any sport - the only consideration is to make auditory cues visible. By comparison, most events in the Paralympic Games are adapted according to physical abilities.


This made me laugh though -

To qualify for the games, athletes must have a hearing loss of at least 55 db in their "better ear". Hearing aids, cochlear implants and the like are not allowed to be used in competition, to place all athletes on the same level.[4] Other examples of ways the games vary from hearing competitions are the manner in which they are officiated. To address the issue of Deaflympians not being able to be guided by sounds, certain sports use alternative methods of commencing the game. For example, the football referees wave a flag instead of blowing a whistle; on the track, races are started by using a light, instead of a starter pistol. It is also customary for spectators not to cheer or clap, but rather to wave – usually with both hands.


And to really confuse things the Special Olympics is for those with intellectual disabilities, on that basis one can see possibly the only way Lance Armstrong can make a sporting comeback

PS: I prefer it to be 'quiet' for the kick, of course its really a very quiet murmur but I'd imagine its more disconcerting than noise or booing.

Its also traditional

yep agreed damage..

Thanks for the views on deaf sport. and i understand it is gonna be more challenging to really get the most out of yourself as a deaf athlete.

However if deaf players were more prominant in sport i dont think there would be to much of an issue when it comes to adding lights or flags for athletic races or reffing footy games..

Mind you, makes you wonder, how on earth does a ref try to ref the scrum if they're all deaf..?!


"oh just get on with it then.... see if I care"

or maybe he could lay down and be the mark

Apologies it was a blind sport where the crowd had to keep silent ...obviously theres no need to be quiet if it were a deaf one, even if they do did exist as Duty rightly points out *blush*
It was simply a case of being such a pig ignorant fool that I lumped the two states into one and mixed the words up.

i think you just made a mistake PSW... Tis happens!

no worries, although maybe it'll be good to send some premiership footballers to coach some blind teams ... I'd pay money to see that

I think they should be quiet,

However I have boo'd kickers in the past. Most notably :

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/scottish/8369615.stm

As the clock ticked over into injury time a last assault from the Wallabies saw them come within inches of scoring several times before Giteau sent the ball wide for replacement centre Cross to power over.

That left the fly-half with a tricky conversion to spare the Wallabies' blushes but not for the first time the ball drifted to the left of the posts as the delirious Murrayfield crowd threatened to lift the roof off the stadium.

That conversion made all the trickier by 40000 Scots creating a very hostile ambience.

that... or everyone on one side blowing furiously