Hard Luck England

Tim Robbins · 15-09-2007 12:33pm #1

Well how the mighty have fallen.
I have to say I was slightly melachonic seeing England torn apart. I really thought the '03 team was one of the best Rugby teams I have ever seen.

Now I know Johnson was well out of order not respecting our President but players like Wilko, Robinson and Dalligo I have always had respect for.

The grand slam match where England hammered us was one of the best Rugby teams I have ever seen play. As a Rugby fan, I can't ignore that.

It was especially sad to see Robinson get injured and pull his hmastring. The best open field Rugby player up with Campo but with non of his arrogance.

Anyway, England and English fans just to let you know not all of us Irish rugby fans are smirking at your fall in Rugby.

Hard luck last night. Jason Robinson, thanks for some amazing moments over the years. You have been inspirational.

Wilkonson, it's a shame not to have seen you back playing your best in this World cup. I hope you get fit and have some decent games before it ends.

Cheers England.

zAbbo · 15-09-2007 12:39pm

did this really warrant another thread?

Tim Robbins · 15-09-2007 12:48pm

zabbo wrote:

did this really warrant another thread?

It's more about the demise of English Rugby and great English rugby players rather than the actual match.

Inquitus · 15-09-2007 12:52pm

Tim Robbins wrote:

Well how the mighty have fallen.
I have to say I was slightly melachonic seeing England torn apart. I really thought the '03 team was one of the best Rugby teams I have ever seen.

Now I know Johnson was well out of order not respecting our President but players like Wilko, Robinson and Dalligo I have always had respect for.

The grand slam match where England hammered us was one of the best Rugby teams I have ever seen play. As a Rugby fan, I can't ignore that.

It was especially sad to see Robinson get injured and pull his hmastring. The best open field Rugby player up with Campo but with non of his arrogance.

Anyway, England and English fans just to let you know not all of us Irish rugby fans are smirking at your fall in Rugby.

Hard luck last night. Jason Robinson, thanks for some amazing moments over the years. You have been inspirational.

Wilkonson, it's a shame not to have seen you back playing your best in this World cup. I hope you get fit and have some decent games before it ends.

Cheers England.

The 2003 team was, imo, full of arrogant tossers who played such a shíte brand of rugby it demeaned our game.

Thankfully time has moved on, and while the current less talented bunch of england players attempt to mimic the 2003 team, the game has progressed such that this is no longer viable.

Good to see them down, and as long as they continue to play shíte rugby lets hope they stay there.

Jackz · 15-09-2007 1:00pm

Perhaps more suited to some scented writing paper than another thread.

Amz · 15-09-2007 1:10pm

Report the post if you've a problem with it.

Jackz · 15-09-2007 1:21pm

Sorry Amz just a joke considering it was written directly to Wilko.

Tim Robbins · 15-09-2007 1:33pm

Inquitus wrote:

The 2003 team was, imo, full of arrogant tossers who played such a shíte brand of rugby it demeaned our game.

Thankfully time has moved on, and while the current less talented bunch of england players attempt to mimic the 2003 team, the game has progressed such that this is no longer viable.

Good to see them down, and as long as they continue to play shíte rugby lets hope they stay there.

Hold on, when Munster won the European Cup they won it by sticking it up the jumper. There was a better chance of the ref getting a decent pass than either of their wingers. When Ulster won it, it was because they had a world class kicking machine, not much great Rugby there.

That English team was class. Robinson was arguably the best stepper in world Rugby. Cohen was a savage Winger and Lewsey a world class full back.
They were a team full of ball carriers. Dawson arguable the best 9 at breaking and not only could Wilkonson carry he was possibly the best tackling out half of all time.

The English '03 team was also a intelligent team. I was at the grand slam match when Ireland really put it up to them in the opening quarter. They soaked it up, grinded them down and then hammered them.

Interestingly before the 03 World Cup, England played tough Summer tests against Oz and the All Blacks. Eddie may have learnt something here.

It you can get over the arrogance from a minority of their players, and look at it from a Rugby point of view - they were simply a fantastic team.

When Ireland beat essentially the same team in Twickers the following season, I think it was the best performances from an Irish team ever.

Stev_o · 15-09-2007 4:10pm

Tim Robbins wrote:

Hold on, when Munster won the European Cup they won it by sticking it up the jumper. There was a better chance of the ref getting a decent pass than either of their wingers. When Ulster won it, it was because they had a world class kicking machine, not much great Rugby there.

That English team was class. Robinson was arguably the best stepper in world Rugby. Cohen was a savage Winger and Lewsey a world class full back.
They were a team full of ball carriers. Dawson arguable the best 9 at breaking and not only could Wilkonson carry he was possibly the best tackling out half of all time.

The English '03 team was also a intelligent team. I was at the grand slam match when Ireland really put it up to them in the opening quarter. They soaked it up, grinded them down and then hammered them.

Interestingly before the 03 World Cup, England played tough Summer tests against Oz and the All Blacks. Eddie may have learnt something here.

It you can get over the arrogance from a minority of their players, and look at it from a Rugby point of view - they were simply a fantastic team.

When Ireland beat essentially the same team in Twickers the following season, I think it was the best performances from an Irish team ever.

Yes it is a shame to see them collapse within 4 years of being the best team in the world with probably some of the best players in world rugby.

Saying that there wont be alot of sympathizer's from any of the Celtic Unions sure iv spent many of times arguing that Wilko was one of the best out halfs to grace this game and end up getting pointless replys such as "Over rated he's sh1te he just gets injured" etc

Like everyone loves a rivalry but sometimes reading the absolute crap people write about fellow Unions just angers me and they usually dont have a point to it at all. "Oh new zealand are a bunch of tossers they go out and try to kill people rather then play rugby" :rolleyes: just some of the crap you have to put up with

Well your always going to have people argue to you that they didnt play rugby they just kicked a ball. You just have to say that bloody hell they had a mighty fine player that could kick that ball from anywhere.

Sad to see them collapse but they have a very talented pool of young players coming up which given a chance in the 6N should make a very very interesting setup

GBX · 15-09-2007 4:17pm

There is a division between club rugby and international, which hasnt helped their cause.
One thing that I noticed is the Rugby fans havent harped on about the world cup win as much as the football fans have done about their win in '66. Maybe they had a vision not to milk it as they couldnt stay top of their game for so long!

is_that_so · 15-09-2007 4:21pm

The mistake they made was not building on that success. 2004 would have been a good time to start looking for new blood. Instead the England team and setup has spent most of the time living on the glories of that success and being "world champions". By starting again now after the RWC and assuming that they do, they are at least two years away from having potentially a good team again. I don't think the clubs have helped matters. As in soccer too many of the key positions in big clubs are taken up by people who will play their international rugby for another team.

As for the team , well I am ambivalent. This has been coming for a good few years. They have been talking themselves up for far too long and not addressing the problems. I don't believe that it was hard luck at all. That said one or two of them last night gave it a go. Will be sorry to see Robinson go and he has provided much quality and entertainment over the years.

kleefarr · 15-09-2007 4:28pm

is_that_so wrote:

The mistake they made was not building on that success. 2004 would have been a good time to start looking for new blood. Instead the England team and setup has spent most of the time living on the glories of that success and being "world champions".

Exactly. They let go too easily.

AckwelFoley · 15-09-2007 4:42pm

I think getting raped in croke park was the last straw for engerland.

The irish team are over hype to gargantuan proportions, considering the near misses in the 6 nations and recent results.

Its good to see england on their knees for a change.. and whiile they're there...

Tim Robbins · 15-09-2007 6:51pm

Stev_o wrote:

Like everyone loves a rivalry but sometimes reading the absolute crap people write about fellow Unions just angers me and they usually dont have a point to it at all. "Oh new zealand are a bunch of tossers they go out and try to kill people rather then play rugby" :rolleyes: just some of the crap you have to put up with

Out of all the sports I have played and followed, the one thing I liked about rugby was the genuine respect for other teams and oppositions. I always thought this was due to a genuine love of the sport, that it transcended silly politics, nationalism or silly chips onthe shoulders that we all have. The only sport I have seen anything close to this respect given is boxing.

Now, I don't respect Johnson cockiness dito Dawson or Healy.
But some of their other players have been fantastic ambassadors for the game.
Jason Robinson, brought skills to a new level Northern Hemisphere Rugby. I have never seen him cocky.
Dito Wilko. I just thought it was melachonic to see this great players injured and bruised on the world stage. It's like a bad ending to great careers.

Similarly, I am sure there are many Rugby fans outside Barnhall, Leinster and Toulouse to see Brennan's career end the way it did. Genuine Munster, English Rugby fans may never have been cheering him on but I am sure they would have liked a more dignified end to his career.

Zambia · 15-09-2007 7:15pm

Fair Enough England are currently not performing that well I have lived through periods when Ireland couldnt fight its way out of a paper bag and if it was nt for Wales we would have been up to our kness in Wooden Spoons.

England are a side that will rise again just as every other nation can fall in ratings.

Win or lose the other team gets clapped of the field, even if they havn't played that well.

mike65 · 15-09-2007 8:49pm

I would'nt get too smug right now.

Mike.

Stev_o · 15-09-2007 10:08pm

Tim Robbins wrote:

Out of all the sports I have played and followed, the one thing I liked about rugby was the genuine respect for other teams and oppositions. I always thought this was due to a genuine love of the sport, that it transcended silly politics, nationalism or silly chips onthe shoulders that we all have. The only sport I have seen anything close to this respect given is boxing.

Now, I don't respect Johnson cockiness dito Dawson or Healy.
But some of their other players have been fantastic ambassadors for the game.
Jason Robinson, brought skills to a new level Northern Hemisphere Rugby. I have never seen him cocky.
Dito Wilko. I just thought it was melachonic to see this great players injured and bruised on the world stage. It's like a bad ending to great careers.

Similarly, I am sure there are many Rugby fans outside Barnhall, Leinster and Toulouse to see Brennan's career end the way it did. Genuine Munster, English Rugby fans may never have been cheering him on but I am sure they would have liked a more dignified end to his career.

Ah m8 i hope your saying i dont believe in what you say cause i do im pointing out others are fairly ignorant when it comes to foreign players who they dismisses with various names.

Oh btw i play for barnhall so good example

Tim Robbins · 16-09-2007 1:01am

Stev_o wrote:

Ah m8 i hope your saying i dont believe in what you say cause i do im pointing out others are fairly ignorant when it comes to foreign players who they dismisses with various names.

No,I think we're in agreement.

Oh btw i play for barnhall so good example

Great club.

dan719 · 16-09-2007 12:40pm

Hey tim I think it's time for a hard luck Ireland thread.:(

mikeruurds · 16-09-2007 2:05pm

dan719 wrote:

Hey tim I think it's time for a hard luck Ireland thread.:(

Ah no... they have to lose to the Argies and French first

Ireland can still win the group and dodge a bullet.

It's still possible.

pretty-in-pink · 16-09-2007 3:41pm

I just like good rugby, its weird seeing a usually good team do so badly. The fall from grace, and it could have been us lads, last night was dire. At this point I don't see a European country making it to the final, we are all playing poorly, our "good" teams are doing far from their optimum best. We need to pull the finger out if we want to a) get through to the next round b) do so with dignity.

Whether its us or France who go through, it will be very close.

Most sports created by the English, end up being played far better by other countries (cricket, rugby, soccer). A kind of sad irony, or maybe a fall from pride.

Hard Luck England

Comments