yoe, I think you're forgetting that it isn't really "just" joining 4 countries together - there is a significant relationship between the nations involved. For a start, England, Wales, Scotland and most of the Ulster region of Ireland, are actually the same country (UK). And the UK-Ireland relationship has a very intertwined history. Perhaps not all good history, but there's significance in the shared cultures of the two nations. And in fact, the Lions tours actually predates Ireland's independence from the UK in 1922 anyway.
The Lions is the one time in four years where I can support a team with the people who share my nationality (I'm British first, Yorkshireman second, and English third). There's a lot of movement between people of the countries. My best friend is Welsh, a previous one was part-Welsh, my uncle lives in Scotland etc. and it's the one opportunity for all these people to be united under one team.
thanks for a "well mannered", and actually substantial response right there !
But you can't expect me to believe, with all due respect, the British first English second thing. Man, like any animal, hangs around his own. But I see your point though.
* I like the idea of uniting, but isn't it really just England saying "ok guys, c'mon, let's just forget about the past and....make nice !
" Like, it's not real, at the end of the day, there is a deep resentment at both ends, Saxon and Celtic. Even though of course, a lot of friendship can coexist, esp. in today's world...
Except that you singled out England (read: the English) to criticise, in reply to an article that in no way specified them and which presented the obvious PR comments of a man with more than 30 Scotland caps.
Entirely aware of that. That was about a couple hrs ago and...I actually do still stand by that, what do you know ?! It's an English thing. Britain itself is an English thing. The Welsh or Irish or Scots didn't one day go "Hey ! Let's form a Rugby alliance with the old enemy !!". It's an English thing...to make amends implicitly, w/o actually saying it, to get close to the Celts and make nice...it's a political thing, a strategy....and to be more competitive, I think they realized pretty fast this could only be good for British Rugby as a whole, and England included.
I'm not calling the Lions an aberration, I just don't like all the underlying suggestions their concept make, or at least speak to me. Surely someone must find some common sense in my previous posts.
Quick anecdote:
Look, I once played a guy at my club some years ago and beat the crap outta him at basketball. Next week, he came with two 6'5 guys from semi-pro clubs here in Qatar to challenge me and two friends. We lost, narrowly. At the end of the game, he came up in my face and actually bragged and taunted me. It was so pathetic I merely looked back with a straight face, took my **** and left to the locker room.
Crappy example, but it's the closest I can find in me right now. The Lions are aligned with this in my mind, in concept but not THAT perfidious.
And whether there's history betw. the 4 nations or they're completely random for different continents doesn't make a difference rugby wise, they're still 4 nations from the World top10 (Scotland just recently this decade slipping off that rank). That's all I'm saying. And then, when they do win, they're all cheers and laughs. It's a bit cheap for me, it's too easy !
I'm like "well uhh....yeah guys, of course you won you're like the All-Star team from 4 of the 6N !! :lol:"
Of course, there's always the challenge that they can play well together, mesh up well...I understand that. But it's still a bit of a mismatch all the time. Except the AB at times. But even they are just a team made up of two tiny little islands in the Pacific, I'm not using the demographics argument, I'm just saying: the notion of NZ facing the very best of 4 separate, powerful rugby nations. Hand picked for each position, AND a bench made up of int'l starters...
makes sense, doesn't it ?!
now please excuse me, I've got to go play darts on my board where I've attached a picture of Owen Farrell making his penalty-kicking face because I'm such an English-hating-complex satan-worshipping little dwarf...:lol2tn:
