Worcester Warriors V London Irish

"A Supporters View"  by RT

Fantastic Day Out: Pity about the Game!

            “You’ve had a bit of a mixed season so far,” I said to the London Irish supporter who was sitting behind me.

            "You could say that,” he said. “Up and down like a lady of ill-repute’s under-garments.” (Those were not his exact words!)  A good-humoured touch of the Blarney, a delight in the game and a warm welcome for Worcester supporters made the trip to Reading on Sunday a special occasion.

The Madejski Stadium itself is an impressive venue.  Conveniently situated close to Junction 11 of the M4, it may not be picturesque, but it offers all facilities, including an hotel.  It was designed by the people who built the Welsh Millennium Stadium.  “Don’t worry,” quipped one supporter as it started to drizzle, “we’ll close the roof before kick-off!”  The roof apart, the similarities between the two venues are obvious:  an intimate bowl with spectators close to the action; no stanchions or pillars; space behind the seating for bars, loos and functions.  There was plenty of atmosphere with a crowd of 7,000; with a 24,000 capacity it must be electric.

There was, of course, the usual evidence of the round ball – threatening notices about prohibited objects and drinking regulations, but there was none of the “temporary inhabitants” feeling that is sometimes found in other shared grounds.  This was due, in no small measure, to the enthusiastic ebullience of the London Irish supporters who have created a unique rugby experience at the Madejski and who go out of their way to welcome visitors.

That welcome was evident from everyone we met: supporters, stewards, the girls serving in the shop, the pre-match entertainment. It gave us the impression of a club where professional management and supporters are working as a team to make the London Irish experience a good one. (I’m sure that somewhere on our website you will find a photograph of the plaque presented to the Supporters’ Club by London Irish supporters in recognition of our first ZP fixture with them.)

Having walked three quarters of the way around the outside of the stadium looking for Gate 4, we found ourselves behind the East Stand where a live folk-band was creating a party atmosphere.  Blue and gold mingled with green and red to the tune of The Wild Rover. This was followed by The Fields of Athenry – sung, it seemed, by every voice there.  The Worcester supporters, however, were not to be out-done and set up a rousing (if unmelodic) chant of “Warriors”.

If this had been a football match, a mass brawl might have ensued, but this is rugby: a game for gentlemen……London Irish displayed its famous hospitality as the band broke into “Swing low, sweet chariot” – punctuated with a lively refrain of “I’d rather be a Warrior than a Quin”! Broad grins all round.

This set the tone of the afternoon.  Leprechauns with portable Guinness dispensers; fluorescent green wigs; real and symbolic Irish wolf-hounds and incessant drumming gave the afternoon a dream-like quality.  “Digger” Graves, sitting behind us, complained that the mascot had appropriated his longstanding nickname. The symbolic wolf-hound mascot seemed, by his gestures, to be as disgusted by the lack of noise from the West Stand as his Worcester counterpart.  His genuine canine equivalent, Jumbo, retained a regal composure as he was paraded and petted before the match.  At half-time he was in attendance again, setting a good example to one of his progeny, a four month old puppy wearing an L plate on his green overcoat.

The match started on a sombre note, with a minute’s silence for the victims of the nearby rail crash.  There was complete silence, too, as there was for almost all the kicks.

The rest of the game was far from silent, with plenty of drumming from the East Stand.  It was heartening to hear the Worcester fans hi-jack the Irish support by using the drum beats as a prelude to chants of “Wuss-ter”.  “Hey, those are our drums,” said Digger Graves.

Unfortunately, the chanting was not enough to bring success and the luck of the Irish triumphed again.  (They are the only team to have beaten Sale so far this season.)  It is not my place to comment on the technicalities of the game, but I am beginning to wonder whether those red shirts are a good thing….

RT