Ireland will host the Women's World Cup later this year, and used yesterday's men's match against France to further advertise the bid for the men's equivalent competition in 2023. Exactly how smoothly the world cup will run this year is certainly open for debate, however, based on the farcical scenes the Irish and French players were confronted with at Donnybrook earlier today. The game is broadcast live on RTE and on French television, along with being beamed around the world via this live stream that weirdly cannot be watched in Ireland.
So with a superb level of exposure, the players lined up for the anthems, waiting for the backing track to kick in over the tannoy. They waited...and waited...and waited. Realising that the music was not coming, the French players decided to belt out Le Marseillaise by themselves.
It was to get worse: the Irish players then began Amhran Na Bhfiann, assuming that the music wasn't going to kick in. It did, meaning the players and crowd ended up singing ahead of the track. The subsequent Ireland's Call was delayed, too.
It's a tough watch.
Rec321 by yossarianlives5
Poor form.
@IRFURugby better get your act together before August. No music for anthems. Wouldn't happen at a men's game. https://t.co/nyuP4J4fbM
— Reg Coppinger (@Regcoppinger) February 26, 2017
Disgrace that the anthems werent played properly in Donnybrk. Amateurish. Gowan Ireland. #COYGIG Sew it into them.
— carmel o connor (@carmeloconnor1) February 26, 2017
#IREvFRA #COYGIG Am I the only one that thought the national anthems were a sham, it wouldn't have cost much to bring in a band IRFU!
— Niamh Hickey (@WikiHickey) February 26, 2017
