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(Very) early thoughts on the 2017 Lions

Which Tyler said:
Sorry Dullonien, but as a Bath fan living just outside Gloucester, i know what local rivalry looks like, and it looks absolutely nothing like the **** we get from the Welsh.
I'd also add to The AlphaBro that i think the English dislike of losing to the Welsh isn't that we hate the Welsh, or particularly have a rivalry with them, but that we cop so much more **** from the Welsh fans than any other set, so yeah, I'd far rather lose to Ireland than Wales, because the following g month or so aren't full of crowing and abuse.
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No their just self rightous and smug.
 
It might just because English arrogance is less arrogant than American wasp modesty (willing to admit it) but the welsh pettiness is so much more annoying than the so called English arrogance.
 
I think its a bit of a chicken-egg sort of job in Ireland, England and Wales. (Can't comnent on the jocks because I'm not old enough to see them be successful)

In Ireland when we win we herald ourselves at the greatest there's ever been and don't care about whoever we've beaten, that'll rub people the wrong way very quickly. From my perspective England's fans take more pleasure out of the opposition losing than them winning, people don't like that. Wales are at both. Hence the triangle of hatred, it'll be interesting to see what happens if Scotland join the party, I could foresee a viscious Ireland v Scotland rivalry if we were at the same level, I don't know when that last was though, the 80's maybe?
 
The Alpha Bro said:
I think its a bit of a chicken-egg sort of job in Ireland, England and Wales. (Can't comnent on the jocks because I'm not old enough to see them be successful)

In Ireland when we win we herald ourselves at the greatest there's ever been and don't care about whoever we've beaten, that'll rub people the wrong way very quickly. From my perspective England's fans take more pleasure out of the opposition losing than them winning, people don't like that. Wales are at both. Hence the triangle of hatred, it'll be interesting to see what happens if Scotland join the party, I could foresee a viscious Ireland v Scotland rivalry if we were at the same level, I don't know when that last was though, the 80's maybe?
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There is a book called The Grudge by Tom English about the 1990 Calcutta cup game. If you want to read about a bad rivalry then read that.
 
dullonien said:
Again, far from the mark Imo. How is it different than rivalry between two nearby schools, 2 nearby clubs (football. Rugby, whatever), 2 nearby villages'/towns/cities etc. etc.

Different schools come together when it comes to supporting their town, different towns/cities come together when it comes to supporting their nation, different nations come together for the Olympics/Lions.

Sporting rivalry doesn't equal anti-English, even if some unfortunately do mix the two. There's tw*ts everywhere though!

Can I ask you if you have a sporting rivalry with another team (e.g. AP club)?
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I don't support any AP club per se. Used to be a big footie fan: followed Liverpool when I was younger and my local club Watford. Liverpool's rivalry with Everton is tame in comparison to most other football rivalries. Members of the same family support both clubs. Watford's biggest rival is Luton and yes there are lots of songs sung about them etc, but again nothing like a Rangers v Celtic rivalry which is split on sectrarian grounds.

How is England v Wales rivalry different to club you ask? - well it involves Nationality for a start. I understand the need for rivalry, although I suspect that for Wales the rivalry is bigger for Welsh fans, than it is for England. A bit like England v Germany in football (game on tonight) - you ask most German football fans, who their biggest rival is, it's Holland, not England. England have chosen Germany, again mainly for histrorical reasons. But most German fans don't feel the same.

Just questioning the mentality of those certain "*****" you refer to i.e. not intending to tar every Welsh fan with the same brush, but where it stems from - for me it comes from a mentality of "as long as we beat the English, we don't care" or second best is " as long as england lose" as summised by the Stereophonics song then that's ok, regardless of how **** Wales are doing. Programmes like Scrum V don't help that perception.


 
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The Alpha Bro said:
I could foresee a viscious Ireland v Scotland rivalry if we were at the same level
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I was thinking the same, the last 2 matches have been high energy, tense affairs with a lot of aggro breaking out between the players! Love it. It's like one arrogant know it all brother pushing around the insecure, ugly one
 
The_Blindside said:
John Barnes going from Watford to Liverpool, plus I loved how Liverpool played under Daglish between 1987-1990. Also I was a glory hunter:).
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I used to live in Watford, what a glorious cesspit it was :D Apparently the high street had the highest density of crimes in the entire UK.
 
mosfeldt said:
I was thinking the same, the last 2 matches have been high energy, tense affairs with a lot of aggro breaking out between the players! Love it. It's like one arrogant know it all brother pushing around the insecure, ugly one
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Come on Ireland isn't ugly. Well not that ugly at least.
 
Anyone got anything to add about the Lions?

Shame that Huw Jones is out as odd have him in the squad but maybe Ringrose could get a chance? Not a fan of Davies as i think most wingers end up with crap quality ball with him there.
 
TheSaffycen said:
Anyone got anything to add about the Lions?

Shame that Huw Jones is out as odd have him in the squad but maybe Ringrose could get a chance? Not a fan of Davies as i think most wingers end up with crap quality ball with him there.
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I like Ringrose but don't think he's Gatland type of 13. I can see him picking JJ, Daly and Davies.
 
TheSaffycen said:
Anyone got anything to add about the Lions?

Shame that Huw Jones is out as odd have him in the squad but maybe Ringrose could get a chance? Not a fan of Davies as i think most wingers end up with crap quality ball with him there.
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Not sure about Ringrose yet I suppose he could be a bolter if Gatland picks him.
 
I have a feeling Ringrose could have a stormer and develop really well on the Lions tour, the mid-week tests could be really good for him. Though I would have JJ starting the tests against NZ
 
Ringrose won't go, he should but he won't. Not disappointed by it either, we'll have a second string 9, 10 and 12 while, hopefully, trying new wings so the 1st choice 13 could be handy.
 
Seen a few calls for Ashton as a Lions contender after Saracens' win yesterday. Discuss ...
 

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