It seems there are a lot of references to the Spirit of Cricket and it seems a lot of people don’t really know what that is.

Therefore in breaking news the MCC have re-released the preamble to the laws in relation to the Spirit of Cricket.

The actual (and new) MCC definition of the Spirit of Cricket (with additions in brackets) is as follows;

“Respect is central to the Spirit of Cricket (except when MCC members or Stuart Broad don’t feel like showing respect).

Play hard and play fair (but do not play hard and fair when England is batting).

Accept the umpire’s decision (except if you are an MCC member and/or if you are Stuart Broad, in which case you may behave like an entitled, petulant deuche-bag).

Create a positive atmosphere by your own conduct, and encourage others to do likewise (see previous information above regarding MCC members and/or Stuart Broad)

Show self-discipline, even when things go against you (ummm geez did we actually write that because no Englishman has ever been able to pull that off).

Congratulate the opposition on their successes, and enjoy those of your own team (If you are England never really congratulate the opposition on their successes, or if you do make that a hollow congratulation and remind them that doing well against England, within the laws, is always questionable by mentioning the Spirit of Cricket, even if obviously you yourself do not really understand what the Spirit of Cricket is.)

Thank the officials and your opposition at the end of the match, whatever the result (except for when Jonny Bairstow doesn’t want to, he only has to shake hands and look like he is about to cry).
Cricket is an exciting game that encourages leadership (or petulance, see Stuart Broad), friendship (or MCC members calling Aussies ‘cheats’ when they haven’t cheated but have followed the MCCs own laws), and teamwork (but not if an Australian wicket-keeper notices an English batter stepping out of his crease, because he should immediately ignore that and remember that even though that player may have stumped others in similar celebrated fashion, to do so against an English batter will become an international incident) which brings together people from different nationalities, cultures and religions, especially when played within the Spirit of Cricket (so long as that spirit is always to make sure England win).”

There we have it. Now that it is cleared up England will now go into the third Ashes test ‘feeling’ that they won both games so far and only have to ‘feel’ like they have won the third, to win the ‘Spirit of Cricket Ashes’. Of course this is way more important than the actual Ashes. The actual Ashes will of course go to Australia, as it almost always does, but nevermind that.

Let us all remember that it is the job of the Australian captain to make sure England players’ own carelessness, irresponsibility, naivety, arrogance, ignorance and stupidity is never exploited. We owe it to them and those poor, hard-working MCC members to ensure Enghland have every chance to win.

You are looking a this from the wrong end of the lense. It is not the Australian captain’s prerogative to protect England players from their own carelessness, irresponsibility, naivety, arrognace, ignorance nor their own stupidity. All of which Bairstow and co are guilty of.

It is his job to win. Bairstow was given out. Frankly if Cummins had have withdrawn the appeal I and many like me would be filthy with him.

In the 6 nations Ireland kicked out of hand more than their opposition in every one of their individual games. There is something to that.

Leadership on a rugby field is not a title.

not a harsh call… he tackled too high… plain as day…he generally does tackle too high. Just a fact.
What comments do you want on cleanouts? U r the one who said he did a thousand cleanouts… he didn’t..he doesn’t.. he is an average player and there is nothing wrong wit that. I don’t have a problem with him.. I just have a problem with over-reactions to standard performances. Nick frost looks the better player… in fact there are several others that should be there ahead of him… his was a strange selection… in saying that he got selected and not surprisingly (he has always been a decent player) did ok so i wish him the best of luck. i’m just not going to agree with nonsense like he hit a thousand rucks and a sfor the tackle count it wasn’t a herculian effort…. fair play he topped the tackle count… so what.. they ran at him and he tackled them.. as he is meant to… had he tackled low he may have made a better impact on the game

so does koroibte u melon

You pick your best players end of! Vunivalu is better than tom wright and Perese is better than paisami… end of.. full stop… boom… by your logic Tim Horan and Jason Little should never have played at the 91 world cup… and there are a thousand other examples…. so just stop arguing for arguing sake i couldn’t care less what u think.. u offer nothing to this website

dya reckon you might need both??? derrr

are u kidding.. maybe the fact there is a new 13 and 14 in the starting side

and let Ellis genge’s try in by tackling too high

😂 I didn’t see that stat but 20kmh seems a bit crazy don’t u think… how fast is a rugby pass in the first place???? Couldn’t imgaune it was much more than 20kmh in the first place…
I saw he passes further than Gordon on average..( it was 20% more which must be what you are referring to). In saying that the distance of pass is not as important as accuracy… the scrum half can only pass to the distance the first receiver is standing………
in fact the perfect pass in rugby is 7m (there was some biomechanics, i’m not sure but cleverer people than us involved, done on this a few years back that was brought to my attention by Simon Cron….according to him it turns out the 7m pass is on average the perfect distance between player, due to pass velocity and factoring in defenders etc etc it was complex..) anyway Gordon’s average pass, according to Stan, was exactly 7m… i’m not making that up…it was according to the stan sport stats which i thought was interesting because simon cron had worked tirellesly on instilling the skills of the tahs to be able to execute the 7m pass consistently and has trained them to essentially space at 7m in attack.
anyway stats are one thing…they are different styles of no 9.. White everything goes off him… very much like the great french no 9’s… I’m not sure that suits our style… but Gordon has the more accurate pass of all 3… Gordon is the biggest and strongest ball carrier and the quickest over meaningful distances plus he is the better defender… Tate has the better step and sniping running game… white the better kicking game… they all bring their strengths.. but overall Gordon is the better no 9… as i said white was actually poor on saturday if you watch closely.. very inaccurate in fact with his passing…we looked much more cohesive with Gordon when he was on.

I really think Vunivalu is a player that if he is fit he just needs to be picked. DR is over thinking it. Perese is another. They’re the highest calibre of rugby athletes. Just pick them.

he didn’t hit a thousand clean outs and he tackles too high… the english press were unimpressed with neville btw.. i think we all love the story of the 33 yo debutant… the reality was he went ok… but hardly enough to see him not under scrutiny. I agree with coker that frost should be starting.. i’m sure by seasons end he will be.

McDermott does not have the core no9 skills or defense to be better than White or Gordon.. he has the btter sniping game… so for me he does make sense as the reserve scrum-half option. Gordon is the superior no9 to White and should be the starting no9. Watching a replay of last weeks match and Nic White really was poor actually and was lucky to get the nod again.

Wilson should be in the team for Valetini. He’s just better. Leota deserves his spot at no 6.

I don’t think DR is lying but he is keeping the truth close to his chest when he says he is not likely to play the rest of the series…. that is true.. it is just because his name is now mud.

yeah they’re not going to throw him under the bus… he’s been ruled out because he is no longer wanted, needed, respected. If they had said he’d gone for scans and had a particular grade muscle tear that would be something but they haven’t.. even he said it was ‘small injury’… what does that mean? and he said it wasn’t a tear on the night… it is all very suspect and beautifully suns up QC. At the last minute he didn’t fancy playing is all

yeah no players ever get injured at training… double facepalm.. and quade has said it was not a calf strain btw… nobody knows whats wrong with him but him

all that has been said is he is ruled out… he has been.. thats not a lie… they didn’t say he was ruled out with a muscle tear… because there was none.. they haven’t clarified the injury because there isn’t one diagnosed…all they’ve said is he is ruled out and unlikely to play this series….. that sounds totally suspect considering there is no muscle tear……even Quade said there was no tear.. he said he just didn’t feel right…. that is completely unheard of.. players tear muscle or break bones to miss a match.. they don’t just pull out for a vague saw leg… he was physically ok to play.. i’m sure he did indeed feel something below his calf muscle but that doesn’t prevent a player from playing….he just didn’t fancy it.. and thats fine… best he doesn’t play if he’s not up for it. Best he does miss the series and go back to club rugby.
Okay now that is enough

yes its a legitimate fake injury 😂

Still on this? my word i have hit a nerve….which medical staff? all we have been told is he is ruled out… he’s been ruled out because he piked it.. this is the end for QC

A very well thought out comment and I can’t argue with much you say except for Ikitau making good decisions and being the best defensive option at 13. He is a good one-on-one defender (Paisami is better) but he misreads too often actually… it is just that it goes un-noticed. Perfect example is on last years EOYT his mis read led to Stewards try. And thats just one example… i’ve seen him misread plenty of times. Plus last year he took some awful options in critical situations like chip kicks to the fullback, flick passes to no one, and he continually had the ball stripped from him. He had some good performances against SA but I wonder if DT actually reviewed the games on the EOYT because he has just picked and sticked with LI. (i don’t think he’s terrible i just think he is our fourth best option) He was very quiet last saturday as well.. one good pass…but hardly impacted the game. There are other better players waiting in the squad. I sure hope DR realises he is leaving a world beater out just to keep a guy that has a decent left foot boot.
I am glad you’ve noticed Paisami’s weakness is his ball insecurity.. absolutely right. I’ll add his poor decision making last year kicking when we had overlaps etc was also a big issue. (Not entirely his fault he should not be playing 12… he is a 13) I love his defense (as good if not better than Ikitau’s) though and his ball-carrying (better than ikitau) and for that reason I think he is better than Ikitau. The only thing Ikitau has over the others is a left foot boot. Surely that is not enough.
Besides all that both Perese and Petaia for that matter offer more as no 13 options than either Ikitau or Paisami.
They all bring their strengths and relative weaknesses but i am certain Perese is the best option and Petaia the 2nd. Both of these should be in that starting xv.
Paisami should be the back up 13 in the squad. I would have Ikitau only playing for Australia A let alone the starting xv for the wallabies.

I would love to see Hodge at xv.. his giant boot is worth having there alone.

i know i bought his ticket and drove him to the airport myself

u know DR was his fav coach from when they won those tiles at the chiefs right?

i haven’t been proven wrong about anything…. you know its true… he just didn’t fancy it…. and has ended his test career as a result… obvioulsy they’re going to say that he is medically unfit… even he said it wasn’t a tear… how can that rule him out? DR has said cheers and good luck