Something for tomorrow’s bar-side, post-match analysis

UnionistLite has raised the issue of ‘God save the queen’ and the IRFU in light of the latter’s recent refusal to meet two British Lords about the dispute.

It’s not the newest of topics but it’s one that’s yet to be resolved and surely worth discussing.

How can the IRFU claim to be the Rugby federation for the island of Ireland and simultaneously treat Belfast as foreign soil? Is it a contradiction to say a product of Northern Ireland is native but its place of origin is foreign? Is it a big deal to expect players from the 26-counties to stand for a foreign anthem once in a blue moon, when players from the 6-counties are expected do the same every other match?

The only argument I’d make about playing ‘God save the queen’ in Ravenhill is the same one I’d make about England playing it in general - it’s a British anthem rather than the anthem of a British state and in my mind it would make more sense if Northern Ireland (and England) got their own sporting anthems.

With that said this is an issue the IRFU should have handled better and should have diffused a long time ago. If they want to continue to treat Belfast as foreign soil then maybe they really should take UnionistLite’s suggest and end their representation of the 6-counties. Or they could stop playing ‘Amhrán na bhFiann’ altogether. Or maybe they could just grow up and get over themselves.

I know what I’d rather see them do.