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6 Nations


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I watched the Scotland v England and the Ireland v Wales games on TV at the weekend. What a notable difference between the sportsmanship shown by the respective home crowds. Whenever Wales got a penalty and kicked for goal there was silence in the ground from the Irish fans. In the Scotland v England game , when England were taking a penalty / conversion, each kick was met by a chorus of boos. I wonder if Scotland will ever lose the chip they have on each shoulder as far as the English are concerned. I guess it's a problem for them that both our Rugby Union and Football teams have won their respective world cups. Or am I just picking on our kilted friends from the north ? .........hehe

Edited by onlyonetugay
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Nah, I think you've got a very valid point re Scotland about England. Not saying it applies across the board, as I've met loads of jocks that aren't bothered, but I've met plenty that are!!

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As someone who has lived in Glasgow for over 20 years I can report that it has only got worse since the referendum. I used to get quite angry when the sports shops on Sauchiehall Street started selling the football shirts of the three teams who had been drawn in England's group for whatever latest tournament Scotland had failed to qualify for. These days I just pity them.

The press (particularly the Daily Record) will whip them up into a frenzy before the world cup qualifiers against England. It gets quite nasty at times.

(apologies, I know this is s0d all to do with the six nations!)

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No need to apologise , that's very illuminating. I had a friend at school who spent his early education in Scotland after his family moved up there. He was badly bullied, just because he was English. I think the Scottish Nasty Party's raison d'etre is anti-englishness. It really is appalling.

Anyway back to the 6 Nations ! I'm just glad we beat them. I think that's 7 years since they last beat us. On to Italy now and as Eddie Jones has said let's go and give them a "good hiding" !

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It is similar in Wales having lived in Cardiff for 5 years the local rags down there love to whip up anti English sentiment then pass it off as banter, the mentally is small time its all as long as we beat the English etc real chip on the shoulder.

Yet most of them will give it the anti English stuff then not see the irony when you point out they support Liverpool, Man U etc and not a welsh team.

The crowds for the regions are dwindling the pro 12 is on its arse in wales , low crowds no interest yet international day is an excuse for drunk valleys mobs to descend on Cardiff act like berks and wear those stupid daffodil hats!.

I say this as someone who loves Wales, I had 5 great years there met wife in Cardiff, but the 6 nations brings out the worst in people in my experience.

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They'll never lose the chip on their shoulder when it comes to England whether it's rugby, football, politics, anything. They're not alone either I think in the 6 nations every team sees England as their main rival even Italy/France.

With the jocks I suspect if you said you'll lose heavily vs Ireland, Wales, France and Italy finish bottom but beat England narrowly most would take it. In a way I admire Scotland for effort pretty much over last 20-30 years they've lacked skill in all team sports but still somehow manage to compete. If England could punch above their weight like Scotland sure would be multiple World Cup winners.

I do genuinely enjoy being "hated" by the lesser nations but what does bug me is when the scots, Welsh and Irish are patriotic they are seen as wonderful and passionate. When English are patriotic we're lazily dismissed as being racist and almost frowned upon.

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The Scottish chip only exists if you let it, I've found. Been up to Scotland camping many times and if they give you any stick, best not to retaliate but just say 'Yeah...and? We're the same tiny island.'

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If it wasn't for the fact that us English are constantly criticised for the Empire, being arrogant, being racist, throwing our weight around etc etc I'd find the Celts bitterness pretty hilarious. As it is it smacks of massive hypocrisy that a collection of nations who incorporate xenophobia into their national identity, pass it off as passion and don't even consider it a bad thing, ever dare to criticise any aspect of England.

Anyway, good win, good start for the new coach and onto Italy, the one country who don't come with a giant shoulder chip.

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Top top top top! Top of the league!!!!!!!!!!

2 pretty average performances from England so far, against the 2 weaker teams. Give the same number of penalties away against the other 3 teams, and we'll struggle to win.

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2 pretty average performances from England so far, against the 2 weaker teams. Give the same number of penalties away against the other 3 teams, and we'll struggle to win.

Wales 27 - Scotland 23

France 23 - Italy 21

Weaker teams? Evidently not that weak! England have clearly made the best start, the reluctance of some of our fans to ever fully praise us is bewildering at times.

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Wales 27 - Scotland 23

France 23 - Italy 21

Weaker teams? Evidently not that weak! England have clearly made the best start, the reluctance of some of our fans to ever fully praise us is bewildering at times.

You beat me too it ! England will certainly face tougher opponents in their grand slam quest, the Celtic nations always raise their game against " the enemy " . However England gave Italy a good hiding on their own turf , just like Eddie Jones asked them to. An Italian team that pushed France very close on the opening day in the Stade de France. Like Husky said " top of the League" .

I think you have to be question the term " our fans" , as some of them much prefer to criticize than support .

I say let's celebrate a good start to the campaign . Come on England !!!

Edited by onlyonetugay
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Scotland and Italy are the 2 weakest teams in the 6 nations statistically over the last few years.

It was a very close game vs Italy until the interception try, at which point their heads dropped and England pro-fitness showed. After 60 minutes vs Italy we had given away 12 penalties, which if against Dan Biggar or Jonny Sexton, would have been far more harshly punished. It's early days after the world cup, under new management, and bedding in a few youngsters, but the next 3 games will be a much sterner test.

I fail to see how thats somehow worthy of the 'some fans' stuff above.

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Scotland and Italy are the 2 weakest teams in the 6 nations statistically over the last few years.

It was a very close game vs Italy until the interception try, at which point their heads dropped and England pro-fitness showed. After 60 minutes vs Italy we had given away 12 penalties, which if against Dan Biggar or Jonny Sexton, would have been far more harshly punished. It's early days after the world cup, under new management, and bedding in a few youngsters, but the next 3 games will be a much sterner test.

I fail to see how thats somehow worthy of the 'some fans' stuff above.

Why does it matter how they've been performing historically? Say we'd played Ireland at home last game and narrowly lost, would you be full of praise for England because we'd given the best team in recent history a good game? Or would you be criticising us for losing at home to a side Wales drew against away the game before?

The relevant information, i.e. how good Scotland and Italy are in this competition, indicates they're a lot better than usual. England were more comfortable against Italy away than France were against them at home, and were more comfortable against Scotland away than Wales were against them at home. To anyone other than a staunch England critic (which is basically most England "fans"), we're looking good at the moment.

But oh no, we didn't play that flawless game against Italy. That one that no team has ever played where you win 100-0, convert every chance, make every tackle, commit 0 penalties, concede no turnovers, find touch with every kick etc etc. And to be honest even if we had, it would all be about how poor the opposition are. Its like a magnified version of Rovers fans, impossible to please rather than just very difficult.

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Scotland and Italy are the 2 weakest teams in the 6 nations statistically over the last few years.

It was a very close game vs Italy until the interception try, at which point their heads dropped and England pro-fitness showed. After 60 minutes vs Italy we had given away 12 penalties, which if against Dan Biggar or Jonny Sexton, would have been far more harshly punished. It's early days after the world cup, under new management, and bedding in a few youngsters, but the next 3 games will be a much sterner test.

I fail to see how thats somehow worthy of the 'some fans' stuff above.

You need to look at the positives instead of constantly seeking out the negatives. You've analysed the game, highlighting the 12 penalties but fail to mention we haven't conceded a try yet , which says a lot about our new defensive coach Paul Gustard. Any England fan worth his salt will be delighted with that .

I really hope you didn't find any negatives last night against Fulham Ok ,I know we should have won by a lot more , but 3-0 is good !

Edited by onlyonetugay
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  • 2 weeks later...

Well done England and what a first full debut by Maro Itoje. The guy oozes class . If Joe Launchbury recovers from his injury , Eddie Jones has a selection dilemma for Wales. If we win that one , the Grand Slam is there for the taking. France look out of sorts and all over the place at the moment.

If we take the positives out of the Ireland game , we beat them playing with one less for 25% of the game and conceding 12 penalties to their 10. It's not vintage , but Jones is on a 3 year journey and he's made a good start

Edited by onlyonetugay
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For the time being I'm more than happy with the 3 W's , wins against Scotland , Italy and Ireland. I'll add another D to your 3 , the Dark arts as practiced by New Zealand for many years. If Eddie Jones can get our lads to master a few of those, we might be able to compete against the Southern Hemisphere who are currently playing a different game to us .

Edited by onlyonetugay
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The 3 D's in Rugby win you games. Defence, Discipline, Decision making. At the moment we're good in the first one and not good in the other two. That needs to change.

Completely agree. Discipline has been a major problem for a long time, we ALWAYS give away too many stupid penalties.

We could go a long way towards sorting out your 3rd 'D' by starting Danny Care in place of Youngs. Youngs slows down every attack and doesn't see Ford screaming for the ball until the opportunity is missed.

I see Manu is in the training squad. I can't see him playing (maybe last 20?), but he gives the Welsh something else to think about.

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Off to twickenham next Saturday with the lads curtesy of a mate who was able to get 5 tickets. I've seen England in Paris (that nut crushing game 2 yrs ago), Murrayfield and millennium stadium but never on home soil. A win and it all but guarantees the championship barring a heavy defeat in Paris assuming France even beat Scotland on Sunday.

Every year in past 4 we've managed to bottle it when it counts. Last year losing to Ireland having done the "hard work" of beating the Welsh in Cardiff. In 2014 in Paris with that last minute Gael Fickou try handing crown to Ireland. In 2013 totally capitulating in Cardiff. In 2012 again losing at home to Wales.

I need to see some sort of high profile sports win after the debacle of yesterday. So time to stop this 6 nations losing one crucial game trend especially vs Welsh at home.

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