English Rugby fans strangely quiet this morning

Hippo


Joined: 02/02/2007
Posts: 2070

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 12:50

How Borthwick and Johnston can say in this mornings papers that they took positive things from the Italy game.



If that's an example of Johnston's run up to the world Cup i would book a weekend return if i was an England fan.

Corbo



Joined: 13/09/2009
Posts: 627

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 12:53

True but Italy are not always a push over at home now. At least we won.

TRNCVaughan


Joined: 27/04/2008
Posts: 4578

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 12:53

A very poor game. Too much kicking and England were lucky to win.

Groucho



Joined: 26/04/2008
Posts: 7993

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 12:57

A win is a win. Winning when you are not playing well is an art.

Bear 1



Joined: 25/07/2007
Posts: 65

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 17:01

I am not suprised we are quiet, it was awful. As an ardent English Rugby supporter, I am so dissapointed at their lack of ambition. They have the players, but I think they are playing to orders with this aerial ping pong, which is a complete waste of possession, unless kicked into space and followed up. I despair at Johnson's tattics.

ROBnJO


Joined: 30/06/2008
Posts: 1289

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 17:12

Hey!



2 wins in a row!



Johnson took on an uphill task that no-one else was prepared to put their reputation against.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 17:27

Hippo, I thought you'd be taking the .... out of the Irish !?



Perhaps, they might beat Wales and England by more... ;)

TheScarlets



Joined: 14/04/2009
Posts: 877

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 18:00

Hey guys that's unfair, I felt England played to their full potential on Sunday. You can't criticise them for a lack of class or ambition if they don't possess it in the first place

paddypony


Joined: 14/07/2009
Posts: 75

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 19:14

Msg 8



England have never lost to Italy, unlike the Welsh who have. But there again England have won a World Cup, unlike the Welsh who we easily put to the sword last week. The taffs will again be mid table/wooden spoon again in the 6 nations for 2010. Lucky to overcome the Jocks on Saturday



Johnno will prosper!



Up the Tigers!!

Hatty


Joined: 13/07/2008
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 19:25

England are also they only country to have won both the Rugby and the Football world cups, not bad for a small place. We only need the Cricket and we have the full set which I do not think any other country will be able to do.

TheScarlets



Joined: 14/04/2009
Posts: 877

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 20:17

Splitting hairs again guys, living on two past glories in the past century



We have too many to mention and I'm a modest guy

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 20:44

Hatty



Please can you tell me which serious Rugby paying nation, other than France is bigger than England?;)



Also, can you name the number of smaller nations who have won the World cup at football ?



Uruguay - 2 times, Argentina - 2 times



runners up:



Argentina - 2 times, Netherlands - 2 times, Czechoslovakia - 2 times, Hungary - 2 times and Sweden



On the face of it England have under-performed...

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 20:59

paying or PLAYing , even

TheScarlets



Joined: 14/04/2009
Posts: 877

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:02

I expect a comfortable win againg France week Friday. We will be far too powerful and quick for them and I would be surprised if we don't win by at least 10 points. We showed on Saturday we are currently the most gifted and naturally talented rugby team in the world at the moment. Wouldn't be surprised if we start the next world cup as favourites

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:06

Scarletts



nothing wrong about being optimistic.. but 'currently the most gifted and naturally talented rugby team in the world' ..?? :0



..and they said Ireland were favourites... !

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:06

I'm not sure, so I better ask it here: is rugby the same as cricket..?

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:18

Hans, cricket is another game that England claim to have invented - even though it was some 'cousins' of yours..



http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/7919429.stm



and they sportingly let smaller nations beat them at this game, too ...except for the Scots, Welsh and Irish ;)

Hatty


Joined: 13/07/2008
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:39

mmmmmm - Rugby - Of the half a dozen serious rugby playing nations I think France, Australia, Argentina, South Africa are bigger and Newzealand is marginally bigger. France have not won the Webb Ellis Trophy although they have been thrashed twice in the final. Of the 6 times it has been played England have one it once and been finalists twice I don't think you can say that is under performing. I stand to be corrected

Hatty


Joined: 13/07/2008
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:53

mmmmmm - I think you will find that of the football world cup winners the only country smaller than England to have won it is Uruguay. They won the first one in 1930 in which there were 13 teams entered and the second in 1950 just after the 2nd world war when I don't suppose many european teams were up to much.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:54

Dear Hatty



be prepared for 'correction'





Australia, Argentina, South Africa, and New Zealand all have SMALLER populations than England ;)

Hatty


Joined: 13/07/2008
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 21:55

Then I stand corrected although they are larger in area are they not

arrry



Joined: 19/08/2008
Posts: 1235

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 22:14

You may be right Mark but how many of the "English " population qualify to play for England ???

karakum5c



Joined: 18/03/2008
Posts: 1021

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 22:26

mmmm msg 20--- all the countries you mention also are many times outnumbered per head of population by sheep. Maybe they should be competing at a different sport, we in Scotland have some Aberdonians who would be up for such a competition and have a lot of experience under their belt.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 22:32

re msg 21 Hatty : Antarctica is bigger than England, but I think population is what counts to make up a national team ;)



re 22 Arry: I believe the criteria was "players can represent a country if he, a parent or grandparent was born there."



The rule was modified re the home nations to allow: "Players with five years of compulsory education in the specified country are now eligible to represent that nation."



However, other nations ( not N.I., Wales, Scotland and England ) can call up a "foreign" player once he is naturalised after two years in that country.



I reckon c. 55 million could play for England

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 22:33

6m;



South Africa has a higher population than England and the Argies aren't far behind.



As for the antipodes, they don't have the love affair with football that we enjoy, so in %age terms they are far more into rugby than the English.



Which also applies to the Taffs.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 22:37

Dear Karakum5c



re msg 23 There are more South African than sheep ;)



http://www.sheep101.info/farm.html



http://www.southafrica.info/about/people/population.htm

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 22:45

Dear Newscoop



Historically, SA has had a smaller population and still does....



Argentina has a population considerably smaller than England



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Argentina



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England

Hatty


Joined: 13/07/2008
Posts: 260

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 22:56

Based on your theory of population China should be winning just about everything

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
15/02/2010 23:41

No.. based on my theory England is not winning much and being consistently out performed by smaller populated nations



In football 4/8 nations ranked higher than England are smaller - by population



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Rankings



Re Rugby it gets WORSE.. it's 4/5



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FIFA_World_Rankings

paddypony


Joined: 14/07/2009
Posts: 75

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 00:20

msg 29

Thats a theory 6ms and by virtue, clearly incorrect. Its about as valid as saying Wales will "beat France by 10 points". Obviously this is Welsh points, we are talking about 10 driving license points for drink driving charge in a golf buggy Dream on Wales.............



Swing Low

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 00:20

6m



according to wiki SA has over 49million, Argies over 40million



England (not UK) around 45million.



England is the only country in the world to play world class Football, rugby, cricket.



So there is a natural dilution in play.



The rest of your "smaller" countries only play one or two of the big three.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 00:29

Newscoop



re msg 31



England had a population of 51 million and is the fastest growing country in the UK



http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/England#Demography



>>England is the only country in the world to play world class Football, rugby, cricket.<<



Hmm ..you'd better hope neither SA or Oz meet England in the second phase of the world cup ;)



While we are discussing Oz, how good are their Swimmers, Hockey Players, and athletes in general doing on a per head of population basis ?

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 02:08

SA and OZ world class football???????????????????????



rugby and cricket yes.



England all three.



Yeni Zealand only rugby.

Argentina only football and not too shabby at rugby.

France football and rugby.

Italy football and rugby-ish

Germany no rugby or cricket.

need i go on?

Baspinar Bob


Joined: 15/02/2008
Posts: 618

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 08:32

newscoop



Brave statement, (Yeni Zealand only rugby) i didn't think they were too bad at cricket!



Bob.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 09:06

RE msg 33, newscoop: (...) need i go on? (...)

=> Yes, please! Give me a chance to enlighten you... About cricket for example... About the latest match England vs the Netherlands for example...

newscoop


Joined: 23/12/2007
Posts: 2197

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 09:37

Bob;



Forgot about cricket!



DC; get back in your cage and enjoy the speed skating!



We are talking about world class international sport, not a gimmick form of cricket.

GreenArmy


Joined: 26/10/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 09:44

With reference to the opening statement, may I remind everyone that at the last World Cup, England were dire in the group stage but still managed to take care of the Aussies in the quarter final and the Frogs on their own patch in the semi.

Form is temporary, class is permanent. When the rest of the northern hemisphere can boast a world cup final appearance or three, they can crow a little. There's lovelee !

GreenArmy


Joined: 26/10/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 14:38

Celts a little quiet today ?

Have to hand it to the Welshman for probably ending his international career by driving a golf buggy on the M4 hard shoulder. Less Brains more brain boyo.............. rock & roll !

TheScarlets



Joined: 14/04/2009
Posts: 877

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 15:11

Trying to get my golf buggy on CTA out of Stansted, perhaps I'll race it down the runway



It's amazing how many "one eyed" english people we have on this site.



You are just like the yanks, there is a bigger world to see and experience outside england



There are also better teams out there including Wales, please accept it because I know



We'll keep a welcome in the hillside,

paddypony


Joined: 14/07/2009
Posts: 75

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 17:11

It is a fact that there are more sheep than people in Wales, so I'm not falling for the old "welcome in your hillside" line. This I find is frankly, rather worrying.



Only England and France remain undefeated, and just look at that welsh injury list. Johnson retains a fully fit squad after the victorious under exertion in Italy.



Johnno will prosper!

GreenArmy


Joined: 26/10/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 17:13

England 3 Wales 0................. when it really matters lol !



The Celts love kicking at the power house nation but they don't like getting it back. I'd rather be a one eyed Englishman than a two legged pit pony lol !

TheScarlets



Joined: 14/04/2009
Posts: 877

Message Posted:
16/02/2010 17:49

The sheep worriers will come out on top again so Gareth Thomas told me this morning

GreenArmy


Joined: 26/10/2009
Posts: 31

Message Posted:
17/02/2010 11:26

Ha Ha Ha !