Yep, it's ridiculous and its petty to make these comments in the press, and it usually blows up in the face of people who say it. Good sides don't need to **** talk the opposition, they just beat them with class in the preperation and then with a stick on the pitch. I know people are quicker to jump on English players for any discrepancy, and people especially dislike this team because they have a bit of a mean streak, but most good teams do. I certainly like tough teams with tough players. With the exception Jones who I think is a dislike-able guy who's abrasiveness probably suits this side very well (not half as bad as Cheika bear in mind so I think he was justified in what he said on tour in Oz) and Hartley who I think needs to sort himself out a bit, I have a lot of time for England and their players, especially Nowell and Itoje who are among my favorite non Irish players.
Who cares about what the opposition say when you're winning. Everyone wants to take a pop at the winners because of an inferiority complex. When people were calling the Irish whiners I just popped a stalk, thought "petty *****" and moved on with it.