Wasps legend Simon Shaw has taken to social media this morning to express his displeasure at the lack of atmosphere at Twickenham Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The three-time Lions tourist referred to the Premiership final between Bath and Leicester, slating the “Cotswold village fete” style atmosphere, as he called for a more invigorated and “tribal” atmosphere if the game is to survive.
Despite the incredible post-match scenes of Bath celebrating with the trophy, and even the controversial events that led to the eventual result, Shaw claimed that the “rugby never came alive.”
The 51-year-old has suggested that the fans were let down by a lack of creativity, both on and off the field. He’s called for better storytelling and press coverage across the major UK newspapers.
Simon Shaw’s Reflections on the Premiership Rugby Final
Posting his thoughts on LinkedIn, Shaw said:
“Saturday’s Premiership Final had all the makings of a showpiece. Bath v Leicester Tigers. Two of English rugby’s most iconic clubs. Twickenham bathed in early summer sun. Nearly every seat filled. Faces painted, jerseys old and new, generations of fans shoulder to shoulder, from Somerset to the Midlands and all points in between.
“The atmosphere, early on, was convivial. Anticipatory and joyful, but almost too Cotswold village fete, as opposed to a deep seeded tribal clash of titans!
“When the match kicked off, something was missing. Or rather, many things were.
“The rugby never came alive. What should have been a final full of grit, pace and heart became a disjointed stop-start affair riddled with refereeing interventions, laboured kicking, and a visible lack of invention from both sides. Neither Bath nor Leicester imposed themselves. Neither seemed able to find rhythm.
“The crowd sagged. Even die-hards struggled to stay engaged. The noise, like the match, came in fits and starts. A surprising number of neutrals padded the stands, lending it the atmosphere of a shared event, but not a passionate one.
“Then there was the fan engagement—or lack thereof. A couple of food stalls. A few clapper boards. A promo tent here or there. It all felt unimaginative, flat. Like someone remembered they needed to “do something for the fans” and threw a few stickers at the problem.
“The anthem? Dan Cole looked more upset at that then he did after his ludicrous sending off moments into his last ever match! If he had his moment again I would wager he accepts a red by taking the guitarist out! The matchday announcements and musical interludes!? Presumably piped through speakers that had been salvaged from a ‘90s car boot sale.
“And if all that wasn’t enough to provoke a wince, try this: the Metro newspaper, the UK’s most-read print daily, gave the final one square inch of column space on the day before the match. One. Right next to the table tennis results, presumably.
“Meanwhile, Trent Alexander-Arnold’s potential move to Real Madrid was given a full page and a half. Why? Because he greeted the Spanish press in “fluent Spanish”. Apparently that now qualifies as back-page headline news.
“I enjoy football. But really?
“Rugby doesn’t just need better matches. It needs better storytelling. Greater relevance. A media presence. It needs to stop hoping that tradition and loyalty will carry it forward, and start creating events worthy of attention, on and off the field.
“We’ll be back next year, of course. Because we love this sport. But love alone can’t carry a league. Not anymore.
“The stage is grand. The script? It needs rewriting.”
Fan response
As often with posts on LinkedIn, there wasn’t much debate between commenters. The responses all ran along the same lines, with very little in the way of objection.
One commenter said: “Couldn’t agree more.. It needs a public facelift. Like the darts has had. Something to reignite the general interest, the general passion and, most importantly, the general numbers watching the game.”
Src: Planetrugby.com - https://www.planetrugby.com/news/simon-shaw-claims-rugby-never-came-alive-as-he-slams-national-press-for-poor-premiership-final-storytelling
