Can any one tell me why the players singsong takes so long these days. It use to be 1 anthem for each side. Now it seems to be more like an opera each.
Only Ireland when they're at home have 2 anthems.
From Wiki:
"The Irish rugby union team is one of many teams that draws its players from across the Island of Ireland and therefore can contain players from either Ireland or Northern Ireland. In the past this has led to issues surrounding certain flag and anthem usage. When Irish internationals were played alternately in Belfast and Dublin, the UK national anthem was played for matches in Belfast and the
national anthem of Ireland "
Amhrán na bhFiann" was played for matches in Dublin.[
citation needed]No anthem was played at away games. In the 1987 Rugby World Cup,
The Rose of Tralee was used as anthem due to Northern Ireland's political situation.
Since April 1995, a specifically composed anthem named "
Ireland's Call" has been used exclusively by the Irish team at away games.
[27] This has prompted some players and supporter complaints that "Amhrán na bhFiann" should also be played.
[28] At games played in Dublin "Ireland's Call" is always used alongside "Amhrán na bhFiann".
[29] This use of "Amhrán na bhFiann" has caused similar complaints from players and supporters within a segment of the unionist community in Northern Ireland.[
citation needed] With Ireland's friendly game against Italy in the run up to the 2007 Rugby World Cup scheduled to be held in Belfast, there were calls for "God Save the Queen" to be used alongside "Ireland's Call" but this was turned down by the
IRFU[30] with the explanation given that both Ireland's Call and Amhrán na bhFiann are only played together in Dublin, and that outside Ireland, the anthem of Ireland's Call is exclusively used.
[31]"
