Englishness in its purest form

<font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">I came out of retirement to say this, and anyone who knows me will be shocked, but for the first time in my life I have to concede that Rugby is a far greater spectacle than Association Football will ever be in this country. That game tonight was an example of just how breathtaking a real battle can be. Outside of a war, there is nothing to compare.

</font><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">Premiership footballers just don&rsquo;t have that passion, that physical commitment. The 5-1 annihilation of Germany in Munich was awesome but pales into insignificance compared to that we saw tonight. I can&rsquo;t imagine for one minute what it must be like to be in a scrum, or trying to prevent a turnover, with boots in your face and 18 stone monsters battering you and trampling you into the ground every time you try to breathe. Jonny, whilst not having a great game was awesome when it counted. Imagine that moment, that kick, having missed all previously. Imagine Robinson catching that kick with 15 Frenchman galloping towards him, such composure, such guts, such Englishness.</font><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">
</font><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">
Isn&rsquo;t that what being English is all about? I&rsquo;m flying in the face of my own history here, for I am a northern, anti-southern, anti rugby tarn man but you know what, that was special, very special. That&rsquo;s what world wars were won by, that&rsquo;s how Bletchley cracked the code, that&rsquo;s how Churchill wrote his speeches, that&rsquo;s England, my England.</font><font face="arial,helvetica,sans-serif" size="2">

I love football, I love Barnsley, and as a season ticket holder I will be there come rain or shine (and traffic jams), but anyone who comes on here and says football is the nation&rsquo;s game needs to take a long hard look at tonight&rsquo;s game, to be highlighted on ITV4 at 11:30, and ask themselves if there is a better example of Englishness this side of the signing of the Treaty of Versailles.</font></p>

 

Was bloody brilliant!!! nt

 

Egg-chaser.

Only joking fella. What a fantastic night - when England scored in that first minute, I burst in on the rest of the Finns (watching Robin Hood) and punched the air more dramatically than Audley Harrison. Beating the French at 'owt can't really be beat.

 

Bloody i'm shocked....But respect to you.... (Y) ....

 

Dare I Say It

Today has been such a good day for English sporting results, that it's been alright going without a club football match for us

 

I watched the game

And I couldn't disagree with you more.

 

But end of day...

Rugby will never be half as good as football is.

 

But, having said that....

</p>

...yes it will.</p>

 

Good show AIRy.

</p>

Very nicely written. Hope Maxwell's not watching.</p>

 

RE: But, having said that....

Did you not think it was the occasion that made the match last night.</p>

</p>

 

Absolutely. nt

 

I thought it was a very dull kicking game

Very few attempts at running with the ball to score a try. Lots of nervous kicking for touch nobody wanting to make a mistake or get the ball on the ground.</p>

The only points scored were from mistakes (giving away penalties), with the exception of the English try which was very good kicking and good follow-up, but ultimately a mistake by the French full back.</p>

The game was exciting at the end because it was close and we came from behind, but otherwise it was very poor.</p>

I think football could learn something from rugby about disipline, only the captain can talk to the ref, sin bins for minor infringments would mean the ref had options other than giving silly yellow cards just to warn someone and get control of the game (we've all seen them) only to end up in the position where they have no option but to send the player off later when they make a nasty foul ... but really the player got a soft first yellow and the ref was trying to make a point and stamp his authority on the game.</p>

Not a great game last night</p>

 

I have long been saying this.

My 'Welsher than Welsh' wife introduced me to the magic of International Rugby about seven years ago.

The atmosphere, the occasion, the sheer blood & thunder of the big international games is unrivaled in world sport, imho.

Try spending the day in Cardiff for the Wales v England 6 Nations if you don't believe me.

 

Nothing like being in Wayuls for the 6-Nations,

especially when they lose.</p>

They take it so seriously!</p>