The Sunday Paper review panel opened today's discussion by addressing the television coverage of rugby in Ireland, and suggested that the 'private school' culture of the sport still prevails in some of the marketing.
Cliona Foley of Newstalk's Off The Bench, pointed out that rugby now stands alongside sports such as hurling and Gaelic football in counties where it was perceived to be non-existent in earlier years. But accepted that that development doesn't always come across.
"Private school is not just rugby but I think there's a sense of that in that marketing, it comes across as a bit precious."
Paul Kimmage of the Sunday Independent, who voiced his criticism of the RTE montage which preceded Ireland's Six Nations game against Wales on Friday night, said:
"It's the sense that it's the only show in town, that's what grates on most sports lovers. It is great sport and really good to watch. It's the stuff around it that I have a problem with."
The panel also talked about how sports which dominate the focus on television, tends to dictate what sports appear in newspapers.
Foley added:
"It's not just in broadcasting, it's the same in the papers. Sports coverage now is based around five or six big sports and it's almost like the print media and the online media follows what TV are doing, which isn't healthy either I don't think.
"A lot of, what use to be big sports, for whatever reason such as athletics or boxing, are covered in papers by freelancers. And even in some cases, by the PROs of the sports that are involved."
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