Is winning important in sport?

The Irish Rugby Football Union has banned winning at children's mini-rugby tournaments.

It reckons the tournaments should see everyone getting involved and having fun rather than focusing on only one team winning a trophy.

But is it a good idea or just plain silly?

Do you think people are more likely to play fair if there's no chance of winning? Or is there no point in sport without competition?

Maybe you think removing the pressure to win will mean that good and bad players can have a chance to get involved?

Unfortunately this topic is now closed but there are Comments pages on other subjects on the main Chat index.

Your comments

"I think you should celebrate if you do win, but it's still okay if you don't."

Milly, 9, Bury, England

"Winning, yeah it's nice once in a while but it doesn't really matter. There are more important things!"

Megan, 13, Lancaster, England

"I like to win but it's not nice when people rub it in your face."

Ella, 9, Lincolnshire, England

"Winning is fun but I think it's about having fun that counts. But it's still fun to win."

Benny, 12, Kent, England

"Winning isn't important, and I hate it when people brag and boast when they win. The best thing about winning is knowing that all your hard work and practice were paid off. That's what winning is worth."

Tammie, 13, Liverpool, England

"It's not about winning, it's the taking part."

Abbie, 10, Bolton, England

"What is the point of playing sport if you don't WIN?"

Becky, 9, Yorkshire, England

"It's the taking part that counts!"

Sophia, 8, Wales

"Sport is boring."

Emma, 12, Plymouth, England

"Winning can feel great but taking part and trying your best is the most important thing. I think it's a great idea."

Lizzanna, 12, Birmingham England

"Taking part is important but making no prize is a bit stupid. Trying that hard for nothing? It eliminates the object. Everyone wants to win. There's nobody who wants to do badly."

Jess, 10, Cardiff Wales

"I personally think winning is good but it's the taking part that matters not the winning or losing part."

Jasmine, 17, Westcroft, England

"For footie fans winning is important. Say there was a football FA Cup final, before then the team would rest all of their best players so they can win the finals."

LilMizCFC, 11, Hampshire, England

"I play sport and I think if you win you're not that happy if you have not had fun but also it can be fun to lose!!!"

Reagan, 11, Rotherham, England

"I think there should always be a winner. I don't think they should put this new rule in about there being no winner because it just ruins the game and if they did this I would probably quit all the sport I do."

Joseph, 13, Devon, England

"That is just silly because without competition no one will be bothered playing the game."

Abdullah, 12, Lancashire, England

"I think it is a very difficult decision because all people hate losing but love winning. Overall I think we should stick with having winners and losers because it's important that people know how to lose so that later on in life if something does not go your way, you know how to deal with it."

Alfie, 10, London, England

"It is good winning because you have a good feeling in your self and when you win you feel that you can win anything."

Harry, 10, Buckinghamshire, England

"Of course you should be in it to win it so if you lose you can try really hard the next time to win and when you do you feel really great!"

Isobel, 13, Scotland

"I think it is stupid. In my old school I would have won a medal if some little kid hadn't stormed out when he lost the welly throw."

Rory, 11, Belfast, Northern Ireland

"I think that it is important to take part and win. If you win it gives you a good reputation and shows how well you are doing individually."

Anisah, 10, Edinburgh, Scotland

"I'm competitive but usually lose! But it doesn't really matter anyway."

Hannah, 13, Shropshire, England

"Sport is meant to be competitive, and it's nice to know what winning and losing is like. I don't think it's the best idea someone has ever had."

Emily, 11, Devon, England

"I think it is kind of important since you have been training for weeks, but it is the taking part that really counts."

Hinna, 12, Surrey, England

"I think it is right to just have us kids playing for the fun of it."

Chloe, 7, Cheshire, England

"I think they shouldn't bring in this rule because all it will do is wreck the game. I think if they were going to do this they should make it a totally different sport."

Liam, 13, Blackpool, England

"I think that taking part is the most important thing and winning is just a bonus. I think that they should make younger children more aware of the fact that they could lose so that they don't take it too badly if they should lose."

Shelley, 13, London, England

"I'm a girl and I love playing contact rugby and I think it's a silly idea because it will motivate children to play better than playing for nothing."

Eden, 11, England

"NO because it is not about winning it is about taking part. Most of the time in mini rugby (and football) tournaments you get a medal for taking part."

Josh, 8, Cheshire, England

"I think the whole idea is nuts. I mean, everybody can say 'it's not the winning, it's the taking part that counts'. But at the end of the day there has to be a winner."

Carlos, 10, Brighton, England

"I think taking part is more important because in sport it's being a bad sportsman if you only think about winning."

Rugile, 10, Wales

"It is hard but when you win you feel very good and losers feel bad and that's sad but I think it's all about fun."

Jay, 10, Scotland

"I hate all PE. I think the winning helps both sides to work harder though. If a side loses, they'll work harder to eventually beat the opposition."

Clark, 12, Preston, England

"I think they should have winners and losers because it gives the kids a sense of achievement and as for the other kids it teaches them that they can't always win."

Ella, 12, Blackpool, England

"Winning is important for kids cause it helps them be competitive without that you won't get anywhere."

Timmy, 9, Middlesex, England

"I can not believe that everyone that wins just overreacts about winning. There's a boy in my class who HATES losing. But when he wins he starts running around everywhere screaming and dancing everywhere."

Emily, 9, London, England

"I think all sports should have a winner otherwise what's the point in sports?"

Charlotte, 14, Melton Mowbray, England

"I'm really competitive, I'm always in it to win it. Which means when I don't win I'm a really sore loser!"

Suzanne, 14, Herts, England

"I think it's ridiculous. Sport is competitive and that's what makes it great. You get a great feeling when you win and you want to experience that a lot. Yeah, I have fun playing sport and don't care whether I win or lose but winning is an added bonus and leaves pretty much nothing to play for."

Conagh, 13, Blackpool, England

"Winning is important because it gives you a sense of achievement and encourages you to go on doing what you love. But people do take losing too badly nowadays so it's important to make them feel proud of themselves too!"

Eleanor, 13, Herts, England

"I'm not that bothered about winning when it comes to sport, but the whole point of it is to try to win. Why even bother if you can't win?"

Charis, 11, Birmingham, England

"No, I don't think it is, I think it is about taking part and having fun that's important. Although it is nice to win sometimes!"

Hannah, 12, Dundee, Scotland

"It gives you a good feeling if you do win in a sporting game but I think taking part and having fun is what really matters."

Natasha, 11, Liverpool, England

"Winning is not everything but it's a bonus. You learn every time you play."

Lucy, 11, Northumberland, England

"l think it's a good idea because kids take losing really personally."

Dionne, 14, Newcastle, England

"Of course winning is important. It's SOOOO important. REALLY IMPORTANT!"

Carl, 12, Southampton, England

"They should keep winning stuff because it attracts other children to play rugby. I want to play for England when I am older so I need competition now to give me confidence!"

Peter, 8, Kent, England

"Taking part is OK, but winning puts the cherry on top. What's the point of playing and losing at the end? Winning is important - especially for some."

Hayat, 13, London, England