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With hope in their hearts — an ode to the supporter
By Robert Mulhern
Familiarity breeds contempt. Ireland versus France in Paris? No better
example of that wisdom — for the current supporter anyway. A familiar
fixture and a familiar result. It’s tough when it rains every day
and we’ve been waiting for things to improve.
Always hoping that tomorrow will be better and then tomorrow comes. Always
hoping that rugby columns will be sunshine and flowers and then Ireland
underperform yet again.
Irish rugby supporters cutting a victory parade through the Stade de France
on Saturday is a picture I cannot see. Maybe because I’ve been on
that losing walk before and maybe because running that gauntlet is too
immediate a memory.
For many who travel to Paris this weekend this will be their second visit
to France in less than four months. Some of them believe in that picture.
So I’m going to tip my hat to those supporters who will make that
very walk at six o’clock this Saturday evening — against the
backdrop of declining fortunes.
They’re the sunshine gang; the optimists of the sporting community.
The reason why we love games and contests so much is because of their
unpredictability, because sport can surprise and uplift like no other
medium.
The ones who travel in the hope of these moments, I salute you. Moments
like yours, in their truest form, I’ve never witnessed. Like the
day Brian O’Driscoll beat the French single-handed or the day Ray
Houghton beat England in Stuttgart.
Moments savoured by the finest of fans because of their loyalty and because
of their rarity.
They’re the supporters who go to the team hotel to cheer their heroes
on to the bus. They remain upbeat in the face of overwhelming criticism.
They’re a golf umbrella on a rainy day.
Now they travel with the belief that Ireland will somehow walk into the
Stade and face down this toughest of tough days. The rest of the country
will remain at home secretly hoping Eddie bows down and walks out...
The recent rugby commentary, although very necessary, is becoming tired
and weary. Similar to the team you might say. It’s as if the World
Cup never ended. Feel-good stories are so thin in rugby land that we need
a crutch of belief, or hope, or both.
That’s what we’ve come to, a regression to the gloryless days.
But we had the fans then and ultimately we still do.
Many will travel this weekend with that losing Stade de France feeling
looming large. Most have been there before, nearly all very recently.
The hardcore feel a responsibility to travel.
I hope their courage transcends the vast expanse of the stadium and lifts
the players to something near a performance and per chance of slimmest
per chances — the unlikeliest of victories.
I hope that golf umbrella envelops the stadium for the fans brave enough
to travel. It’s been an expensive year and we’re all tired
of the rain.
All the supporters have left is the courage in their wallets and the belief
that it can be done. The team must embrace those qualities too.
On Saturday courage is the thing, if courage goes everything else will
go with it... everything except the supporters that is. |
