Everybody still hates the English
Roar Guru By LeftArmSpinner, 13 Sep 2011 LeftArmSpinner is a Roar Guru
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Everything old is new again. Rugby is alive and well and all the traditions of the great game are still in place.
1. The crowds have turned up ready for great rugby and an even bigger party. Harmless fun for one and all is the long time, rugby tradition.
2. Tradition dictates that everyone hates the English.
While there are too many reasons to list here, misplaced arrogance is at the core. The English ensured that this would continue when, upon arriving at the host’s home to stay for the weekend, they dressed for dinner and purposely chose to copy the hostess’ favourite dress.
The English also showed that they still allow this arrogance to leach onto the field with the number of penalties conceded against the Pumas. Lawes’ late tackles and knees are unacceptable.
3. The Latin brothers are as passionate as ever.
Italy and Argentina have arrived with large names, and larger props who still tear up at the National Anthem.
4. The tournament’s, specially-designed ball, is being called into disrepute by some of the goal-kickers who missed a few.
5. The specialist wingers are still very fast but essentially, skill-free. England winger Ben Foden, made a great break and then managed to trip over the defending fullback and blow a certain try.
6. Money still gets results. The millions invested by the IRB and European billionaires are now producing more and better players from the minnow nations such as Romania.
The gap is narrowing and the minnows are coming! Just ask Scotland, France and even New Zealand in the second half.
7. There are some extraordinarily talented players that can do amazing things with a rugby ball. Cooper and Beale of Australia and Sonny Bill Williams of New Zealand fit this category.
8. The physical traditions of the game are there for all to see. Other than half backs not feeding the scrums straight, rugby is still an uncompromisingly physical game.
9. The game continues to evolve and speed up. A modern tradition is that players are running into each other, rather than trying to run around and into the gaps.
Don’t blame the better defences, blame the coaches who seem to have forgotten how to use their back lines.
I don’t include Robbie Deans or Graham Henry in this.
September 13th 2011 @ 5:47am
Ben S said | September 13th 2011 @ 5:47am | Report comment
Ben Foden is not a winger.
September 13th 2011 @ 9:07am
CraigB said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:07am | Report comment
its a type he left out the ‘H’
September 13th 2011 @ 11:26am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:26am | Report comment
touche!!!!!!
September 13th 2011 @ 11:27am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:27am | Report comment
then what is he? He still is very quick but blew the try like a winger.
September 13th 2011 @ 7:08am
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 7:08am | Report comment
Please don’t post if you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Apparently the English are arrogant ( stifles yawn, looks it up in ‘Book of National Stereotypes for Dullards’ ) because they chose black as their change colour and committed lots of penalties at the weekend. Erm, you are aware the Kiwis have had white as their change colour for quite some time now aren’t you? Are you also aware that the penalty count was 16-11 against the Argentinians – or even that the Wallabies committed 15 of their own against the 6N wooden spooners?
No, thought not.
Oh, and btw, Foden is a fullback, not a winger.
Spend long on this?
September 13th 2011 @ 7:51am
Colin N said | September 13th 2011 @ 7:51am | Report comment
“Oh, and btw, Foden is a fullback, not a winger.”
And a former scrum-half who has a very good pass. Therefore, his skills shouldn’t be called into question, especially from people who probably only see him play once a year.
September 13th 2011 @ 8:01am
Will Sinclair said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:01am | Report comment
If you really can’t see the problem with wearing all black jumpers during a World Cup in New Zealand – their first in 24 years – then you are kidding yourself.
England can wear whatever they like at other times (I would suggest grey might best suit their style of rugby) but during the RWC you pay the hosts enough respect not to pull this kind of cheap marketing stunt.
The arrogance and disrespect is stunning.
September 13th 2011 @ 8:44am
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:44am | Report comment
You must spend your entire life thoroughly offended and stupefied Will
September 13th 2011 @ 9:06am
Will Sinclair said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:06am | Report comment
The older I get, the more it happens!
Honestly – I can’t believe the Poms agreed to such a cheap marketing ploy.
As has been pointed out, the Welsh have worn black, the French and Kiwis have worn white. I have no problem with any of this.
But not at the RWC in New Zealand. And certainly not when your gracious hosts have made the all black uniform so famous.
At the very least, it shows a lack of class.
And it could have been so easily avoided.
September 13th 2011 @ 10:33am
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 10:33am | Report comment
Sorry Will, but I’m still not buying that.
We all seem to tip toe around AB sensitivities, what with when and how they insist on performing a Haka. The gracious host argument works both ways. We are even told what we should and shouldn’t do during and after.
If the fact that a nation’s premier feels compelled to join in the indignation doesn’t tell you that this whole over reaction reflects more poorly on those defending the brand (and lets be clear here, that’s exactly what is going on) than those exercising the same rights everyone else does in their choice of kit, I don’t know what does.
If you’re looking for a lack of class from the English, look no further than the iron on numbers. Now that was shocking.
September 13th 2011 @ 1:54pm
Snobby Deans said | September 13th 2011 @ 1:54pm | Report comment
ChristT, this has nothing to do with All Black sensitivities.
What’s to stop the Poms deciding in RWC 2015 that their alternative strip is “Wallaby Gold”?
My understanding is that there is technically no home team in a RWC, so what’s to stop the Poms (& I’m not saying they will do this) deciding that they want to wear black if they meet NZ? It then comes down to a coin toss. How would that appear?
It’s cheap publicity, bulls#@t marketing and does nothing for anyone given that the Poms already have a number of alternate strips that they could have used (purple, etc). I guess it does detract from the discussion around the “quality” of their rugby if nothing else . . .
September 13th 2011 @ 3:17pm
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:17pm | Report comment
Well Snobby. To answer your question there’s nothing stopping anybody from changing their strip to ‘Wallaby Gold’, just as there’s nothing stopping anybody changing their strip to white, black, taupe or anything else. Although you would hope that anyone doing so would have the common courtesy to approach the ARU first to see if they object – just as the ERB did with the NZRU over the black decison. What an affable bunch we English are.
As I’m sure you’d agree, now armed with this information, there is no question of the English trying to force the AB’s to change from black should they meet, as i’m sure there wouldn’t be in the reverse case of NZ’s change strip of white.
There is of course another issue though with “Wallaby Gold’. Do we actually know where the spectrum starts and ends for that claim – seems to me ‘Gaudy Yellow’ comes closer and all sorts of shades either side of late?
September 13th 2011 @ 3:27pm
Colin N said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:27pm | Report comment
I reckon if England meet the All Blacks in this tournament, England should where their all black change strip and New Zealand should wear their all white change strip.
September 13th 2011 @ 6:17pm
Ben S said | September 13th 2011 @ 6:17pm | Report comment
There’s obviously a lot of dull people around here. I’m going to type one word: ‘Nike’.
September 14th 2011 @ 5:44am
Osama bin Lockie said | September 14th 2011 @ 5:44am | Report comment
Premier?? I thought he was the prime minister.
September 13th 2011 @ 1:29pm
Jiggles said | September 13th 2011 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
“gracious hosts have made the all black uniform so famous.”
Talk about arrogance…
September 13th 2011 @ 3:50pm
Will Sinclair said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:50pm | Report comment
Which element of that comment do you disagree with mate?
That the Kiwis are gracious hosts (which, in my experience they are), or that their rugby team has made the All Blacck strip famous (which I believe they have).
September 13th 2011 @ 11:33am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:33am | Report comment
Chris, I carry a british passport and lived there for 13 years. played there for four years. I do know the place and the people and enjoy them very much. I was expecting that our brit friends would come back and say, yea. we are arrogant!!!! and get the joke..
Maybe you are a bit sensitive after a poor opening performance, out muscled up front and no back line.
I still contend that it was inappropriate ambush marketing to wear black in NZ. It was not the penalties it was the nature of them. And so the prop Cole went for 10.
September 13th 2011 @ 12:36pm
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 12:36pm | Report comment
LeftArm, that’s pretty weak mate. No one’s buying that back peddle. Either that or you’ve been away from the UK too long to understand wit. One thing the British lead the world in is laughing at themselves (comes with all the practice).
Tell you what regarding the penalty accusation. Lets ignore the baffling link you draw between their commitment and arrogance, why don’t you share your analysis of the 11 compared to say the 16 the Argentinians committed or the 15 the Wallabies did and help me understand the problem you have with the nature of them.
Good spot getting Cole’s position right btw.
September 13th 2011 @ 3:22pm
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
Nope. the English lead the world in comedy, thats for sure. “Just a minute”, “Friday night News quiz”, “Chris Moyles and Scott Mills”.
on Coles position, yes, thanks, it was remarkable that I got it right as I rarely even watch the forwards. You see, I was a non tackling fullback, at Roslyn Park.
Penalties are not all the same. England incurred too many of one sort and got a yellow. i remember one on half way where the england player was done for coming in from the side. It was more from the front than the side and clearly cynical. If it had been me with the Whistle, he would have been gone for 10.
The argies and aussies also incurred penalties but they were not rounded up into a yellow. That is the point.
I have never subscribed to the need to be arrogant in sport. the best example is Brett Lee. even when he was at his brutal best, he didnt react arrogantly. He would just purse his lips and inhale. that said it all. “It was very close, you are very lucky. I have your measure and you will be gone soon. Ciao bella!!!!!”
September 13th 2011 @ 3:09pm
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:09pm | Report comment
Chris T, if the condition that one needed “to know what one was talking about before posting”, the Roar would die tomorrow. thankfully, this is not the case…………….
September 13th 2011 @ 3:18pm
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
That is the most sense you’ve made today!
September 13th 2011 @ 3:22pm
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:22pm | Report comment
I’m having a good day…………..
September 13th 2011 @ 7:55am
Brendon said | September 13th 2011 @ 7:55am | Report comment
Wow, someones a little touchy this morning chris
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September 13th 2011 @ 7:58am
Pot Hale said | September 13th 2011 @ 7:58am | Report comment
Eh lads, as has been pointed out before, you are on an Australian-based website.
Did you expect chocolates and champagne with scattered pink rose petals?
September 13th 2011 @ 8:42am
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:42am | Report comment
Yes
September 13th 2011 @ 9:08am
CraigB said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:08am | Report comment
yet more arrogance…
September 13th 2011 @ 9:07am
jeremy said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Yes
September 13th 2011 @ 11:34am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:34am | Report comment
Pot hale gets it. all in a bit of fun.
September 13th 2011 @ 1:23pm
johnny-boy said | September 13th 2011 @ 1:23pm | Report comment
Or kipper and chips. Sometimes I think the kiwis expect puha and pakeha laid on
September 13th 2011 @ 1:51pm
p.Tah said | September 13th 2011 @ 1:51pm | Report comment
well here is the view from an English website “Why the world loves to hate England’s rugby”
http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/blog/2011/sep/12/rugby-world-cup-2011-england
September 14th 2011 @ 7:23am
Terry Kidd said | September 14th 2011 @ 7:23am | Report comment
ROFLMAO … good one Pots … nice to see the occasional irreverent sanity here
September 13th 2011 @ 8:48am
Viscount Crouchback said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:48am | Report comment
I don’t know if “misplaced” arrogance is the appropriate description, old bean.
In fact, given England’s rather splendid World Cup record – including biffing Australia out of 3 of the last 4 tournaments – I’d suggest that “entirely justified arrogance” might be the more accurate description.
September 13th 2011 @ 8:57am
Pot Hale said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:57am | Report comment
Now that’s a true English riposte.
Tee hee!
September 14th 2011 @ 7:25am
Terry Kidd said | September 14th 2011 @ 7:25am | Report comment
Hey Pots what is your thoughts on Ireland v Wallabies? That would be far more entertaining than the rest of the drivel here.
September 13th 2011 @ 9:36am
soapit said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:36am | Report comment
justified wrt australia perhaps, but you are a few weeks off a potential meeting with them so it might be a bit early to be pulling out the arrogance.
September 13th 2011 @ 11:35am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:35am | Report comment
VC, the arrogance goes back much further than that. I arrived in the early 1980′s and it was alive and well in all sports. something about creating the sport gives you the right to win it all the time. No, it doesnt work like that.
September 13th 2011 @ 6:20pm
Ben S said | September 13th 2011 @ 6:20pm | Report comment
‘something about creating the sport gives you the right to win it all the time. No, it doesnt work like that.’
It’s comments like that that suggest you’re not out to have a bit of fun. I’m not sure which sort of people you shared your time with in England, but I’ve never come across that sort of mentality. Obviously you made some bad choices. Regardless, I think it’s time to put this all to bed and move on with your life, LAS.
September 13th 2011 @ 12:33pm
Sage said | September 13th 2011 @ 12:33pm | Report comment
Mmmm, perhaps VC. Painfull recollections all 3 biffs certainly. I prefer ‘have met twice in the final for a 1-1 draw and 3 finals appearances each with Eng 1 from 3 and Aus 2 from 3. There, that’s much better don’t you think. Suggest therefore “a wafer of justified arrogance”.
September 13th 2011 @ 8:53am
Sammy22 said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:53am | Report comment
Another little reason everyone hates the English is that somewhere in history they went to war with most if not all their fellow group members and a pretty much all the rest in some form.
September 13th 2011 @ 8:59am
Pot Hale said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:59am | Report comment
I don’t hate the English at all. They’re by far the best fans of the 6 Nations. And approach the game and its result in the right spirit. A game.
September 13th 2011 @ 9:12am
Sammy22 said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:12am | Report comment
I was playing on the title of the piece Pot Hale …. all cool. Seeing as I grew up in England and left when I was 25 and always support Australia (and have for 20 years). So when rugby and cricket are on all my English family love to ‘hate’ my Australianness and my Aus family and friends love to ‘hate’ my Englishness
Just makes for good banter
September 13th 2011 @ 8:57am
Brett McKay said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:57am | Report comment
Leftie, there’s some reports floating around this morning that Lawes is in danger of being rubbed out of the RWC completely, with suggestion he could cop anything from two weeks to a full 12 month ban…
September 13th 2011 @ 9:07am
Will Sinclair said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:07am | Report comment
Twelve months is a bit much!
I reckon he should cop a short ban only. Six weeks would be about right.
September 13th 2011 @ 9:11am
Brett McKay said | September 13th 2011 @ 9:11am | Report comment
I’d have to agree Will, I was actually a little shocked that he might miss the rest of the RWC. Two weeks is indicative of accidental contact, but as you go up from there, then you’d have to be able to prove degrees of intent. Which then begs the question of what was Lawes trying to do if 12 months is to be the penalty??
September 13th 2011 @ 12:51pm
AdamS said | September 13th 2011 @ 12:51pm | Report comment
He was obviously trying to compeltely remove his head from his torso.
But as with pretty much everything else the English tried to do in that game it was off.
September 13th 2011 @ 1:29pm
johnny-boy said | September 13th 2011 @ 1:29pm | Report comment
Lawes obviously set out imo to create some serious intimidation but not being real bright went overboard. He deserves to be marched for some serious time. It would look real bad for rugby if he’s slapped with wet flannel while the world is watching
September 13th 2011 @ 3:26pm
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:26pm | Report comment
Brett, here i was writing an article broadly about the wonderful RWC being repeated as in previous years, then i put up a challenging head line, and all my work goes down the pooper!!!!!!!!!!!
But, the discussion was like being there….. sadly, that is one thing that i wont be doing………
I am concerned about Ioane but at least there is Mitchell. I cannot believe that I am saying this because for so long DM was so lazy and lacked commitment required of a wallaby. Deans has sorted that with a quick demotion!!!!!!!!!!!!
September 13th 2011 @ 11:37am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:37am | Report comment
Brett,
I think he deserves a few weeks but not 12 months unless it is on the back of priors!!!!
September 13th 2011 @ 2:11pm
Chuck said | September 13th 2011 @ 2:11pm | Report comment
Lawes certainly made a rather foolish judgement call.
If I were his reps I’d point the Judiciary panel to the farce that was QCs kneeing of Richie McCaw and he’ll no doubt escape with a caution if anything. If he gets a ban it will make a mockery (again) of the judiciary
September 13th 2011 @ 10:13am
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 10:13am | Report comment
Couple of things bother me about that incident.
First that Lawes went in like that. It’s at the very least reckless. Looks to be a fair degree of wriggle room around intent but to put yourself in that position is stupid, dangerous and unnecessary. He deserves a ban of some description.
The second thing is Ledesma’s reaction to it. I’ve played it back a number of times and it looks to me like Lawe’s knee strikes the upper chest around the armpit area. Ledesma does a great impression of being completely spark out but minutes later is up and running as normal, comes out second half still apparently unaffected and there isn’t a murmur about concussion from the Argentinian camp.
September 13th 2011 @ 11:41am
LeftArmSpinner said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:41am | Report comment
Chris T, i was sitting at Twickers in 1993, England V AB’s. had come from the Hospitality marquis, but then had to make a decision who to support. after much consternation, I chose to support England over AB’s. england won that game , but nothing else that season (5 nations etc) and were the BBC team of the year!!!!!!!
September 13th 2011 @ 12:22pm
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 12:22pm | Report comment
Sorry mate, I have absolutely no idea what this post has to do with my post?
September 13th 2011 @ 10:51am
jameswm said | September 13th 2011 @ 10:51am | Report comment
You also wonder how the touchies have missed so much this tournament that has happened right under their noses. Kepu being stomped/kicked by two different players is another example, and AAC being taken out in the air.
Funny how it works though – I don’t hate English people, I don’t even hate their cricket team, despite the walloping they gave us in Australia (I blame several Aussies for that).
But I hate their rugby team. Can’t exactly explain why – maybe the style they play, maybe the cockiness of their supporters when they’re doing well, maybe my father bred it into me. I was in the stadium cheering for Linford when he won the 100 in 1992. I’ve cheered on Becks and his mates in a WC.
But for some reason, I hate the English rugby team. Always will.
September 13th 2011 @ 2:32pm
Mella said | September 13th 2011 @ 2:32pm | Report comment
exactly the same with me, I support England in football and generally in other sports, big fan of Andy Murray in the tennis though he’s a Scot of course, but cant stand the English rugby team. Take a look at the players reaction to the yellow card on the weekend, he had this stupid mocking expression he must of practiced in the mirror and got in the refs face, just go sit down buddy.
September 13th 2011 @ 11:22am
Gumboot said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:22am | Report comment
I was in England during the RWC when England won the cup and during the final I actually wanted the Poms to beat the Ockers being the typical Kiwi that I am but once England won and I saw first hand the arrogance of the English fans especially the English media I quickly changed my tune. Not just the rugby but the Ashes springs to mind as well showing how arrogant the Poms can be, talk about over kill during celebrations and what’s up with the English handing out knighthoods etc to Woodward etc. During the SWC whilst I was in the UK, the Poms were typically talking themselves up ‘expecting’ to win again harping on about 19 sixty bloody six for the gazillionth time.
The English media especially the BBC only comment on sport when they’re winning and give a wide berth when they aren’t and the good old classic: if a Scot/Welsh/N.Ireland win then they are proudly ‘British’ but should they lose then they are ‘classified’ as Scottish etc etc.
If the Kiwis dont win it then the Ockers are my second choice.
September 13th 2011 @ 11:28am
Gumboot said | September 13th 2011 @ 11:28am | Report comment
Sorry chaps, forgot to mention: The 6 nations debacle with the English pre printing celebratory shirts as “Grand Slam” winners before the tournament was even over springs to mind, remember that one? Do you also remember when the English lost their last game?
Cheerio, toodle pip, tally ho
September 13th 2011 @ 12:53pm
PaddyBoy said | September 13th 2011 @ 12:53pm | Report comment
That was gold. My girlfriend is Irish and the entire town where she is from bought tee-shirts with the “Grand-Slam” part with the Irish celebrating the win.
Ah you funny old Kiwis, even with your evident dislike your always my no. 2 choice (unless there is a very terrible underdog).
September 13th 2011 @ 6:22pm
Ben S said | September 13th 2011 @ 6:22pm | Report comment
‘Sorry chaps, forgot to mention: The 6 nations debacle with the English pre printing celebratory shirts as “Grand Slam” winners before the tournament was even over springs to mind, remember that one? Do you also remember when the English lost their last game?’
I don’t know how so many people keep confusing a nation of people with a global company. I wonder if those tee-shirts were the idea of Nike or Mark Cueto?
September 13th 2011 @ 8:27pm
Jiggles said | September 13th 2011 @ 8:27pm | Report comment
Clearly Mark Cueto
September 14th 2011 @ 11:40pm
Ben S said | September 14th 2011 @ 11:40pm | Report comment
That would explain the vulgarity… {ahem}
September 14th 2011 @ 12:21am
Sammy22 said | September 14th 2011 @ 12:21am | Report comment
You’ll love this
September 13th 2011 @ 12:43pm
ChrisT said | September 13th 2011 @ 12:43pm | Report comment
Gummy, after 11 years in Australia, i can safely report the essence of what you complain about applies equally here. 2 years in SA said the same. I don’t think it would be a huge stretch to expect that could be pretty much said of anywhere. Get out more
September 13th 2011 @ 3:10pm
Colin N said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:10pm | Report comment
“During the SWC whilst I was in the UK, the Poms were typically talking themselves up ‘expecting’ to win again harping on about 19 sixty bloody six for the gazillionth time.”
No, you have it wrong. The question that was asked was, ‘Can we win the World Cup?’ which is a fairly pertinent question and the response from most people was ‘yes,’ because on paper we had a very good team and a good build up.
It’s a lot different to ‘will we win it,’ which the answer was generally no because there were plenty of strong teams.
Most British journalists said that we would either get to the quarter’s of semi’s which was very realistic. Re: 1966, the more time you go without success after winning something, the more you start talking about it. A good example is the All Blacks. Because they haven’t won the World Cup for a while the more, especially in the last couple of tournaments, they hark back to 1987. That will probably stop if they win this time around.
“I was in England during the RWC when England won the cup and during the final I actually wanted the Poms to beat the Ockers being the typical Kiwi that I am but once England won and I saw first hand the arrogance of the English fans especially the English media I quickly changed my tune. Not just the rugby but the Ashes springs to mind as well showing how arrogant the Poms can be, talk about over kill during celebrations and what’s up with the English handing out knighthoods etc to Woodward etc.”
I don’t know why celebrating success is arrogant. Yeah, we went over the top but that’s not what I would call arrogant. When Sao Paulo beat Liverpool in the Club World Championship in 2005, there was massive celebrations in the city with an open-top bus parade and thousands of people taking to the street, just when England won the Ashes etc, but that’s not arrogance.
September 13th 2011 @ 3:18pm
Gumboot said | September 13th 2011 @ 3:18pm | Report comment
“A good example is the All Blacks. Because they haven’t won the World Cup for a while the more, especially in the last couple of tournaments, they hark back to 1987. That will probably stop if they win this time around.” Fair call Colin, you win, I don’t want to play any more. LOL
September 14th 2011 @ 5:59am
Osama bin Lockie said | September 14th 2011 @ 5:59am | Report comment
I was in England leading up to the last SWC and I have to say the arrogance of the poms was breathtaking. I too was heartily sick of hearing about 1966, which I suspect will be the one and only England win, but the media blitz was unbelievable, to say nothing of the graphics of the England team on the supermarket floors. Just before the England warmup game against Japan I was talking to some English people and the typical view was ‘We’ll thrash Japan, what would they know about football, probably don’t even know how to tie up their boots’. England won the game, but not after an awful fright and in truth were lucky to do so. The notion that English arrogance is all tongue in cheek is laughable, they are serious.
September 14th 2011 @ 7:59pm
Ben S said | September 14th 2011 @ 7:59pm | Report comment
‘‘We’ll thrash Japan, what would they know about football, probably don’t even know how to tie up their boots’. England won the game, but not after an awful fright and in truth were lucky to do so. The notion that English arrogance is all tongue in cheek is laughable, they are serious.’
You are laughable.