Originally posted by WheelyThe Welsh are pretty intollerable too at times.
Hey, I'm not asking why!! I know why!!
Take for example the current madness with the world cup team. Personally I don't think England have a hope in hell but yes, the whole country goes mental over a single player. I agree it doesn't make one bit of sense. However, I don't believe it's peculiar to the English.
I think the English supporters get blame ...[text shortened]... y matter though, I'll continue supporting the home nations, nobody says you have to!
I was at the match Ireland Wales in Lansdowne Road. Had a terrace ticket.
So, the stewards couldn't manage to get everyone into the terrace, didn't move people in in the right way, which meant we missed the first 10-15 minutes as we slowly moved in with the crowd.
And I was pretty embarrassed, to tell you the truth. Oldest stadium in world rugby, and all that, fine- but the organisation was poor. So I comiserated with the fellows around me in the crowd. 'Only in Ireland, look you, I gotta be Honeeeest', said one to me, and I was inclined to agree with him.
Then one says 'this is a disgrace, it wud nev-ver hap-pen in the Mil-len-nium Stad-dium, you know'.
'What, that beautiful stadium which the English tax payer bought you, you mean?'
Bloody Welsh.
Anyway, I too support the lot of the teams when we're in the world cup. France and Italy too.
And by the by, I was glad the English won that trophy. I even congratulated an English fellow rather sheepishly wearing the jersey I saw in town that day. He had a tear in his eye- he looked like he thought he would be pelted with rotten fruit rather than congratulated. Poor bloke. He was wrong, you know. We might slag you a bit, but we don't hate you. You do deserve a bit of a slagging, though.
And ireland in the World Cup- well, the difference here is that we don't really have such high expectations before the tourny- it'd be nice to win it, but that's more of a dream.
In rugby, we've been 'punching above our weight' of recent years,as one negative critic put it. Long may it continue. Personally, I think with the Munster pack and the Leinster backs, through in a few decent exiles and a couple of young Ulster players- we could do very well. Beat anyone on our day, I'd say.
The problem is we haven't developed the killer instinct in the national side yet.
Originally posted by sjeg🙂
The Welsh are pretty intollerable too at times.
I was at the match Ireland Wales in Lansdowne Road. Had a terrace ticket.
So, the stewards couldn't manage to get everyone into the terrace, didn't move people in in the right way, which meant we missed the first 10-15 minutes as we slowly moved in with the crowd.
And I was pretty embarrassed, to tell y ...[text shortened]... problem is we haven't developed the killer instinct in the national side yet.
I guess it's always quite entertaining winding up the English. Similar reaction to our American friends on this board.
I always worry about the England Ireland matches and always expect to lose. You have a good team that was developing nicely but progress seems to have stalled the last couple of years. Still, better than England, progress skyrocketed for a few years and then collapsed utterly!
England won't win the World Cup because they're not a balanced enough side and the manager is devoid of any ideas for tactical planning. What happened when Rooney got injured? Sven started working on a Plan B. He was actually going to go to the World Cup without any sort of alternative. No wonder his substitutions demonstrate no sort of active strategy.
It's a team of good defenders and a bunch of identikit midfielders. This could be their saving grace because teams who aren't going to score much rely on not conceeding much in order to get anywhere. The only real threat they pose is from set pieces. The aerial threat from the back and some great dead-ball strikers. Other than that there are no wingers and no one to cross it to even if there were. They are fully dependent on a wonder strike from midfield or set pieces.
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The England Rugby team are just as unlikely to win the World Cup because they decided to follow in the steps of the England football team. They let go of the man whose planning masterminded their one notable success and decided to go with someone who appears not to have an original thought in his head. He picked replaced the inspirational old leader not with someone younger from the next generation, nor someone who commanded as much respect and had as much experience - but rather with someone just as old attempting to do what a better man had done before him.
Originally posted by malawiandanFootball is for girlies anyway so I thought I'd only reply to this part of your post.
The England Rugby team are just as unlikely to win the World Cup because they decided to follow in the steps of the England football team. They let go of the man whose planning masterminded their one notable success and decided to go with someone who appears not to have an original thought in his head. He picked replaced the inspirational old leader no ...[text shortened]... ce - but rather with someone just as old attempting to do what a better man had done before him.
Sadly, you've said nothing here that the vast majority of England rugby supporters wouldn't agree with except possibly that Clive Woodward probably left of his own accord.
The only glimmer of hope for English rugby is that so many of the old guard are out injured that useless Robinson has to pick some new players. They at least looked like they might have some imagination when playing the Barbarians yesterday but it's way to late for the next world cup.
Sadly why? Because something is only worth saying if the majority of England rugby supporters would disagree with it?! Not sure I see the logic in that.
Woodward left because he wasn't happy with how the RFU were planning the future. Granted, I suspect that they couldn't realistically have done anything for the future that would really have satisfied his ambitions and prevented him from going to football but it seems that they underestimated his worth.
The coaching staff look better now but I can't help but feel that they'd have been better off doing away with Robinson and putting Ashton in charge of the whole thing. He strikes me as much more likely to shake things up in the necessary way.
Originally posted by malawiandansure the english have a decent team this year but i think brazil will be hard to beat they have a quality squad england should make the last 8 but there could be a surprise with australia playing they are very passionate and have some class players and many others with international exposure ,in no way am i saying they will win but they will certainly be one of the dark horses . as with any sport but much will depend on the referees bring on the world cup
Sadly why? Because something is only worth saying if the majority of England rugby supporters would disagree with it?! Not sure I see the logic in that.
Woodward left because he wasn't happy with how the RFU were planning the future. Granted, I suspect that they couldn't realistically have done anything for the future that would really have satisfi ...[text shortened]... the whole thing. He strikes me as much more likely to shake things up in the necessary way.
Originally posted by malawiandanNo, as an England supporter, it's sad because it's true that England have a crappy coach and team that plays like they went back in time ten years..
Sadly why? Because something is only worth saying if the majority of England rugby supporters would disagree with it?! Not sure I see the logic in that.
Woodward left because he wasn't happy with how the RFU were planning the future. Granted, I suspect that they couldn't realistically have done anything for the future that would really have satisfi ...[text shortened]... the whole thing. He strikes me as much more likely to shake things up in the necessary way.
Originally posted by malawiandanWrong! All of our key Goals have come from midfielders. Lampard and Gerrard should never be under estimated! That said, we are not playing our best football!! But hey, look at France!! They have played utter sh;t up until tonight, then they beat Spain, one of the 'on form' teams. 😉
..They are fully dependent on a wonder strike from midfield or set pieces.
Originally posted by malawiandanAnyone see that Lions tour at all, or did they not broadcast it where you are in the end?
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The England Rugby ... let go of the man whose planning masterminded their one notable success and decided to go with someone who appears not to have an original thought in his head. He picked replaced the inspirational old leader not with someone younger from the next generation, nor someone who commanded as much respect and had ...[text shortened]... ce - but rather with someone just as old attempting to do what a better man had done before him.