Previous Eras - When did you fall in love with rugby?

[Which Tyler]

As per the conversation elsewhere, it was French rugby of the late 80s that first secured my love of rugby. It was never disciplined, and not always successful, but it was always spectacular!

 

[Which Tyler]

Of course, Bath were my nearest team, and follow-able "live" on Ceefax, with highlights on the local news - which I'm sure helped (as did my Leicester supporting god-father who fully encouraged my support of Bath, taking me to my first live matches)

 

[Leonormous Boozer]

These 4 games and teams are ones I remember vividly from childhood (I was born '95). I also remember Ireland losing to Argentina in Lens in 99 but maybe one of the Argentinians on the board can post that, I certainly won't!

As for club rugby, I'd been to Leinster games and even seen them win a cup before this game but this is the one that got me hooked:

 

[IT157]

1991 Rugby World Cup

 

[McTallshort]

The last one might raise a few eyebrows but it was a massive turning point in English rugby. We had always been the whipping boys, just there to not try to hard and get beaten by everyone else. This game and the players in it changed that and England would dominate domestic rugby in the 90s.

Oh and this:

 

[40/20]

'87 WC for me, and JK's length of the field try against the Italians.

I remember watching a few AB tests with my old man before that, but the first WC set the bug.

And on another note, the 05 Lions tour was probably the zenith of my love for the game. I was so invested in that series I couldn't sleep. Its been on a slow wane - with little bursts of love here and there - since then sadly.

 

[ncurd]

Its hard to come with a precise date it was probably somewhere around 97 Lions (which I don't really remember) and the 99 World Cup. I was bitterly disappointed my parents got free tickets for the final and I couldn't go. But was definitely the rise of the England Orks era.

 

[RedruthRFC]

Its hard to come with a precise date it was probably somewhere around 97 Lions (which I don't really remember) and the 99 World Cup. I was bitterly disappointed my parents got free tickets for the final and I couldn't go. But was definitely the rise of the England Orks era.

I was consoling myself with a pint after Jannie Be Beer kicked England out in the 1/4 finals, flicking through the sports supplement from the Sunday paper. I remember thinking to myself that the only player who would definitely be pensioned off by the next World Cup was Jeremy Guscott. Not sure if it was luck or judgment, but it certainly came home to roost.

 

[die_mole]

Since I didn't start playing rugby til undergrad it would be the 2014 six nations that got me hooked cause I took a semester off and then the 2015 champions cup really made me fall in love.