Australian crowds lack atmosphere

The only reason why atmos is good at Cricket grounds is because you got to pissed out yer skull to enjoy the sport.

rugbyfuture For some reason it was some posh kids school song and they started singing it at the rugby and it stuck. Strange, i know.

I agree mattroar. My comments were more Rugby specific but I also think there's a difference between some of the Aus soccer "noise" and what I was referring to. I caught a few minutes of a Roar match recently while channel surfing and that was what we noticed. Not many people but the noise level was amazing for such a small group and I believe the "European- ness" of a lot of the crowd is the reason. The comparison was made then as to why you just don't get that at Aus Rugby games - except from the oposition on our home soil. Disgraceful.

You lot have obviously never been to a football (soccer) match in Australia before, songs, banners, chants and passion for 90 minutes for your team. 10 thousand football fans make more noise then 30 thousand rugby union/league fans will ever make

Your point about our stadiums is correct. For example the atmosphere and viewing at ANZ Stadium especially for rugby, league and soccer games is very poor. Our smaller stadiums, especially the one's used by the NRL, Parramatta, Leichardt, have small crowds but generate fanstastic atmospheres because the fans are so close to the action. Australians are more laid back, however I don't doubt their passion.

I still way we lost the 2003 RWC because we had no good songs.

Exactly sage. The poms and to a lesser extent the kiwis put us to shame in this department. My question is, why are we so lame? On paper we shouldn't be.

Have been talking about this for ages. A Bledisloe at Suncorp - all the noise came from the Kiwi's. We were horrified but nobody seems to want to know. Too many ex GPS'ers too worried about the leather on their sports coat elbow patches to get involved. Just been to the Ashes and enjoyed the Barmy Army. THAT is how to support your team/country. Funny, clever and heartfelt. The Beatles "Yesterday" tune they trotted out about Warney & McGrath was excellent. We tend to cheer when something good happens while they cheer and sing (even when being flogged) to help MAKE something good happen. The best I've heard lately was "being an English sports fan is like being the overly confident parent of the fat kid on school sports day". There's a song in there somewhere.

It should be reciprocal. The players lift when they hear the crowd behind them, thus creating a better contest. The better the contest, the more the crowd sing/chant etc. How often do you hear a player in a post match interview saying that the noise of the crowd lifted them? Or opposing sides fearful of certain grounds where the home crowd are on their back?

The problem with Socceroos games is there are too many people who want to sit in the home end but not prepared to stand up and sing. I was told to sit down by an Aussie supporter about 10 seconds in the Germany game in Durban, it's the World Cup for god's sake! As for the rugby, get rid of Waltzing Matilda for a start! And `Aussie Aussie Aussie Oi Oi Oi' should be banned. Let the Fanatics sing that at the Davis Cup.

Because we want to watch a good game maybe? If the game's rubbish we'll walk out, and demand better from our teams. The excitement should be generated on the field, not in the crowd.

oggy oggy oggy was stolen by the welsh from the cornish - oggy is another name for a pasty

couldn't agree more - australian rugby (union) crowds are rubbish in terms of generating atmosphere... i'd go as far as saying that it played a big role in us losing the 2003 RWC final to the Poms... even watching it on TV you could see more white jerseys than yellow ones in the crowd and the background noise was pretty much 80mins (+ extra time) of "swing low, sweet chariot"... big crowds cheering you on gets the adrenalin pumping like nothing else.. and that can often be the difference between winning and losing in a tight game. I really felt sorry for the wallabies in that final... imagine being in the Grand Final of a Rugby World Cup, in your home country, and all you can hear is opposition supporters - that's gotta be demoralising...

Oh do please fax me the rhyme, meter and Iambic pentameter of that one about referees - I'll hum it next time Cattledog the Once-Was-Whistleblower is let back into the country! :)

I arrive, a broken man, after watching Ponting's lot grind the mongrels into the dust on Day One at the Gabba, only to fall apart and surrender - to find Viscount Crouchback and Lord Fauntleroy spluttering into there gin and tonics about what's good for the convicts! I'm leaving now - I need somefink to get me mind off this. I'll give the mags a polish and take the ute for a cruise up and down the local shops, while I fink about this! "The pure unadulterated joy of singing" - is that like, well, tapping your finger on the steering wheel to Jimmy Barnes, in an undemonstrative way? When yer mates aren't around to see it?

Not. Funny. Sorry, but we just can't compete. Seemingly not on the field either.

Tui, Yes and I love the response, of which many a pom has endured, "On ya bike, Ten Pound Pom."

DCFC I get it alright, I don't feel the need to emulate others, why? I also stated crowds are to be experienced, of which I have. Please do not disregard this, as I do enjoy Paris, London, Auckland, etc... Ive experienced quite a few crowds.

All I can say on this topic is that 'vocal' is quite the understatement regarding my attendance at a live Rugby game.

The Barmy Army are just brilliant. I love their sledging tunes to the Aussies. "We came with suitcases you came with ball and chain...ball and chain" is my favourite