Rugby, rugby everywhere...

Schools Rugby.

A valid competition and important to develop our young rugby players.

But why does it get so much coverage in our national press?

There are pages of preview in todays Irish Times and tomorrow's Sunday papers are all trailing large previews. I dont know anybody who is interested in it, but thats maybe the circles I rotate in.

I am sure that the parents and friends of those inolved are interested and even past pupils keep an eye on their alma mater but still, how many people does that appeal to?

The schools gaelic football and hurling competitions, which are far more relevant to most of the country, get minimal coverage. The minor hurling and football don't get this level of coverage either. Even the Sigerson and Fitzgibbon cups do not get the coverage that the schools rugby gets.

16 schools are involved in the Leinster Senior Cup and 8 are involved in the Munster version. There must be something else to fill the sports pages. All editors can't have gone to these schools can they? Oh, maybe thats it.

One more thing, I can see full odds in the paper so you can bet on this competition. I like a bet as much as the next man, unless the next man is Paul Merson, but should we be betting on a competition for children? I could find no odds on the minor hurling and football championships so why for the rugby?