From The Vaults

Music and song have been part of rugby union for generations. Whether at country or club level, administrators and coaches long ago realised the potential of music and song as a motivator both on and off the pitch. In this article which draws on a chapter in his award-winning book "London Irish - 125 years of Passion in Exile", Paddy Lennon charts the influence and impact of music and lyrics on the game.

If you are reading this article on the World Rugby Museum website then you are a rugby supporter so the odds are that you will have visited a rugby ground or clubhouse somewhere in the rugby playing world where more often than not, especially in the professional era, music and song will have been a part of your matchday experience.

When supporters meet and reminisce about those experiences, the off-pitch background soundscape usually leaves an indelible mark that is as important to them as the on-pitch outcome. And it doesn't stop with supporters, music and song also impacts on players.

England teams that have travelled to Dublin, where they are held in especially high regard in rugby circles, have conversely suffered from the emotion of the occasion over the years. The eight minute standing ovation that the 1972 visiting team received when they ran onto the Lansdowne Road pitch followed by the respect afforded the singing of "God Save the Queen" reduced the team to tears before kick-off.

There was a reprise of that scenario in 2007 when England played at the Irish capital's historic Croke Park stadium for the first time during the rebuilding of Lansdowne Road. The respect and passion that the 82,000 people present gave to singing the respective national anthems set the tone for the match. As Ireland built its lead - they won 43-13, the emotion that went into the singing of "The Fields of Athenry" could even be felt by those watching on television.

"The Fields of Athenry" is an example of a song that has become an anthem not only associated with Ireland, Munster and London Irish in rugby, it is also used in football by Liverpool and Glasgow Celtic. "The Fields", composed by Pete St John in 1985, is a simple love song that has taken on another life as the struggle of the underdog against the over whelming odds of the powerful.

Recent visits to the iconic Paris stadium have shown how the French have developed the use of sound and light to enhance the pre-match build-up experience of supporters and players, the latter being on-pitch during their warm-up, it is "formidable"! "Freed from Desire", the 1990s dance number by Gala, is the latest hit to be used to telling effect in Paris.

Another song, this one from the folk music repertoire, has become the anthem of Scottish rugby. "Flower of Scotland" has been enthusiastically embraced not only by the thousands at Murrayfield for international matches, it is also sung with passion by Scotland fans when and wherever they play.

A variation to be savored at club stadia in France is the way supporters are encouraged to respond to events on the pitch by brass bands who sustain a cacophony of sound (much of it musical!) through the 80 minutes of a game. Whether you travel to Stade Francais, Clermont or Toulouse for example, you are certain to encounter a band often accompanied by skilled rhythmic drumming. In Toulon, there is the unique and intimidating pre-kick-off battle cry, the "Pilou, Pilou" led by a lone singer accompanied by the home supporters.

Coaches in the professional era will endorse the power of music for their teams, the use of appropriate music as the team waits in the tunnel before running on to the pitch can have a powerful impact. Much debate goes into selecting the music the team wants to use at that critical time.

Rugby as a sport can reflect with pride on the occasions when its musical links have impacted on events in the wider world. For example, in Johannesburg on the 24th June 1995 on the occasion of the Rugby World Cup final when South Africa played New Zealand. Prior to kick-off in the presence of President Nelson Mandela, the singing of "Nkosi Sikelei Africa" (God Bless Africa) - soon to be adopted as the country's new national anthem, by the Springbok team had a dramatic effect. After a hesitant start, the voices in the Ellis Park stadium grew in strength, in the process sending a signal of hope to the wider world about the new rainbow nation.

Long may music and song remain a powerful catalyst for friendship, justice and peace at all levels of the game wherever it is played.

About The Author - Paddy Lennon's involvement with rugby union spans five decades, including the transition from the amateur to the professional era. He is well known and respected throughout the game for his support for and media work with London Irish among others. His book "London Irish - 125 years of Passion in Exile" received the "Illustrated Book of the Year" award at the 2024 Charles Tyrwhitt Sports Book of the Year awards.