Are the Brits (and the Irish) sport's biggest whingers?

By The Squid / Roar Rookie

Not for the first time, Britain have taken out the title of the world’s greatest whingers – with Scotland’s latest effort a particularly good showing.

But was it Britain’s best ever? The Squid takes a look at Britain’s long and proud history of whinging at International sporting events.

First, let’s go back to 1986. Argentina are playing England in the quarter final of the Football World Cup. The moustaches are bushy and the shorts are tight. 115,000 people are crammed inside a sweaty stadium in Mexico City.

Suddenly, in the 51st minute the ball pops up high in the air and England’s keeper Peter Shilton comes to claim it routinely, when out of nowhere, like a kelpie chasing a Frisbee, Diego Maradona appears and knocks the ball in the net with his hand.

“We woz wobbed” came the cries from the England fans after the game. Never mind then, that Maradona also scored one of the greatest goals ever shortly after that, or that England were outplayed for the majority of the match. Of course it was all down to that one moment.

Of course it was.

Fast forward to 2009, Ireland are playing France in a sudden death playoff to qualify for the 2010 World Cup at a packed Croke Park in Dublin. They are full to the brim with pale, freckled faces with fair hair, drunk on passion and whiskey.

With the scores tied over two legs and only 17 minutes before the dreaded penalty shootout, Thierry Henry channelled the soul of Maradona and handled the ball in the build up to the William Gallas’ eventual winner. Quelle Catastrophe!

Never mind the six-month qualifying campaign or 10 other matches that were played, the only reason Ireland did not qualify was because of Thierry Henry’s handball.

One year on we are back with England. It’s the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and England are being torn apart by German Blitzkrieg.

It’s 2-0 after 32 minutes but truth be told England should be down by plenty more. Matthew Upson manages to claw one back, before Frank Lampard sends a cruise missile past Manuel Neuer that crashed inside the goal, after a detour off the underside of the bar.

A great goal, wrongfully disallowed. England went on to lose 4-1. Predictably, the pack of hounds that is the British press focused on the disallowed goal but England were outplayed by Germany throughout.

A year later and it was Wales’ turn. France are playing the Welsh in Auckland at the semi-final of the Rugby World Cup, when Sam Warburton lifts a French player above the horizontal and drops him dangerously on the base of his neck.

Allain Rolland rightfully sends the Welsh captain off and Wales go onto to lose. Of course, there is no analysis about why Wales weren’t good enough to beat the French. All the press focus on is ‘that’ red card. Those pesky Frogs were up to their no good, cheating tricks again.

Which brings us to the most recent example of British whinging. Scotland had played admirably, far better than anyone had expected. They were rather fortunate to be given a few penalties at scrum time but you’re unlikely to read that in a British newspaper.

Craig Joubert, who’s not usually well liked by Australian rugby fans at the best of times, made what looked like a correct call – ruling that a Scottish player had caught the ball in an offside position after his teammate knocked on.

Replays showed that Nick Phipps had touched the ball on the way, so in fact the penalty was wrongly awarded, but alas the law states Joubert can’t go to the TMO. Ice man Bernard Foley still had to step up and kick it – and to his credit, after a crap night with the boot he did the job.

Scotland were fortunate to be in the quarter finals at all after Greig Laidlaw’s knock on against Samoa cruelly kicked out tournament darlings Japan, and numerous contentious penalties kept the Scots in a game in which they were mostly outplayed. You won’t find any of that in British paper. Brave Scotland were robbed by those bloody convicts.

The image of Scotland’s fullback pointing Joubert to the dressing room as the South African ran from the field, fearing for his safety will long live in the memory as one of the greatest moments of sportsmanship in the history of the game.

The British grow up on grand stories of being robbed by the ‘other’. Glorious defeat at the hands of an antagonist is what they thrive on. Never mind that the host nation couldn’t even make it out of their group, or that not a single northern hemisphere team will be playing in the semi-finals.

It’s not because they are not good enough. It’s all Maradona’s fault, or Henry’s, or Germany’s or Allain Rollande’s, and most definitely it’s all Craig Joubert’s fault!

“We woz wobbed”

The Crowd Says:

2015-10-23T17:31:57+00:00

Derm

Roar Guru


Except the example he picked was of the Republic of Ireland in soccer, one of the sports which has two separate teams.

2015-10-22T10:34:05+00:00

Dublin Dave

Guest


I have just two polite questions. 1) Any Australians here who DON'T know exactly what is signified by the word Bodyline in the context of cricket? 2) Any Australians here old enough actually to have lived through it? (Well Spiro probably is but then he's a Kiwi)

2015-10-22T09:29:46+00:00

Upfromdown

Guest


2015-10-22T05:27:59+00:00

marto

Guest


Uh, today we have, uh, for appetizers: Excuse me. Mhmm. Uh, moules marinières, pâté de foie gras, beluga caviar, eggs Benedictine, tart de poireaux-- that's leek tart,-- frogs' legs amandine, or oeufs de caille Richard Shepherd-- c'est à dire, little quails' eggs on a bed of puréed mushroom. It's very delicate. Very subtle. ..

2015-10-22T04:50:27+00:00


I don't think squid is Aouth African?

2015-10-22T04:19:47+00:00

Lancaster Bomber

Guest


I'm guilty as any Australian when it comes to complaining about poor decisions. Not normally if only one goes against my Wallabies but if there is a pattern of poor decisions. Of course I also recognise that I can be very one-eyed when looking for fault. In this incidence, while I did at first feel for the Scots, I think their and all of Britain's reaction has been a complete embarrassment. As poor as the Wallabies were on the day, to think that decision and not the 5 trys they let in cost them the game is utter ignorance. Only World Rugby could manage the same level of stupidity by reporting this incident alone as an error when hundreds of others occurred through the Cup and their inconsistent citing and suspension system is a far bigger blight on the game.

2015-10-22T04:19:20+00:00

Taylorman

Guest


Well it was ridiculous, trying to rub the win in even further.

2015-10-22T04:06:55+00:00

Rugby stu

Guest


Not true Nemani Nadolo, Nehe-Skudder, Bryan Habana are all a bunch of bloody wingers, in fact there's a couple in every team in the entire World Cup.

2015-10-22T03:59:39+00:00

Rugby stu

Guest


The ireland team includes Northern Ireland which is part of the UK, so its not that far of a stretch, yes Britain is the island but Great Britain is often used synonymously with the UK.

2015-10-22T03:50:37+00:00

Andy

Guest


Are you sure the Kiwis didn't invent winging?

2015-10-22T03:42:21+00:00

Lancaster Bomber

Guest


NB, Ireland is part of the British Isles and Northern Ireland is part of the United Kingdom. And since you aren't very learned on these matters the Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland play as one.

2015-10-22T02:55:38+00:00

Cliff (Bishkek)

Guest


Well TMan - be careful - we cannot have the Kiwis -- doing the obvious "pot calling the kettle black"!!!

2015-10-22T02:53:31+00:00

Cliff (Bishkek)

Guest


But Wal - we are World Rugby - we have to show up our little cousins cheating all the time. Makes the game of Rugby fun!!! Because as we know all 7s push the envelope - but we just do not like McCaw because he is the best at it and is also a very good ambassador for the game of Rugby. We cannot have the whole World idolising him - so us Aussies give him some stick - well not Ritchie - just the Kiwis!! Cheers

2015-10-22T02:50:38+00:00

Cliff (Bishkek)

Guest


But Biffa I agree - we are "Bloody Convicts" and proud of it. Can you tell me which Colonial Power sent their Convicts to a Better Country? It was England and we will forever thank you. And rip England off at every opportunity. I see England are in the Semis!!!

2015-10-22T02:47:03+00:00

Cliff (Bishkek)

Guest


Read the heading -- it does not include the Irish in the Brits. The Heading - "Are the Brits (and the Irish) sport’s biggest whingers"? On your comment and not certain of your ancestry - but if Irish - the Irish have just passed the Brits!! Cheers

2015-10-22T01:47:11+00:00

taylorman

Roar Guru


Yes Sheek, especially if you tell them to go over the previous 80 minutes worth of decisions...I'm sure they're gonna delight in doing that...

2015-10-22T01:39:01+00:00

Norm

Roar Pro


New Zealanders are sore losers but humble in victory Australians are sore winners but humble in defeat

2015-10-22T00:14:34+00:00

Lionheart

Guest


It was Hargraves who fiddled with kites all those years ago. He invented the wing, the aeroplane wing that is, aerodynamics, that allowed the Wright brothers to fly. So yep, definitely, winging is an Australian invention.

2015-10-21T23:57:39+00:00

Bazza

Guest


Are you Waynes brother ??

2015-10-21T23:21:15+00:00

Vic

Guest


Happy to oblige. Poms whinge. A lot. All the time. Always have. Always will. Masters of presenting themselves as victims while robbing the colonies blind.

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