Other sports

[g88ner]

Brillant Lions

Yeah, but I still feel uneasy that a nation of 57 million (England) teams up with Scotland, Wales and Ireland (taking the population to around 70 million) to play Australia (23 million)... or worse, the All Blacks (4.5million!!! )

I'm just not sure there's much glory in that, to be honest

[arseofacrow]

Brillant Lions

Yeah, but I still feel uneasy that a nation of 57 million (England) teams up with Scotland, Wales and Ireland (taking the population to around 70 million) to play Australia (23 million)... or worse, the All Blacks (4.5million!!! )

I'm just not sure there's much glory in that, to be honest

You must be fun at parties g88 mate.

[Rosie_titters]

Brillant Lions

Yeah, but I still feel uneasy that a nation of 57 million (England) teams up with Scotland, Wales and Ireland (taking the population to around 70 million) to play Australia (23 million)... or worse, the All Blacks (4.5million!!! )

I'm just not sure there's much glory in that, to be honest

was the Battle of Rorke's Drift fair, no so behave

[northbank123]

Absolute dicking. Like most I was sceptical about the selections and moreover gameplan but absolutely phenomenal to a man.

Now I'm off into Cardiff to have a skinful and find some like-minded blokes, play with each others' cocks and arses and send the pictures to DB10

[arseofacrow]

Absolute dicking. Like most I was sceptical about the selections and moreover gameplan but absolutely phenomenal to a man.

Now I'm off into Cardiff to have a skinful and find some like-minded blokes, play with each others' cocks and arses and send the pictures to DB10

You might at least make it sound like it's something you don't do every week mate.

[g88ner]

Brillant Lions

Yeah, but I still feel uneasy that a nation of 57 million (England) teams up with Scotland, Wales and Ireland (taking the population to around 70 million) to play Australia (23 million)... or worse, the All Blacks (4.5million!!! )

I'm just not sure there's much glory in that, to be honest

was the Battle of Rorke's Drift fair, no so behave

That helps my point! - it's glorious for a smaller army to defeat a much larger one, but not as glorious the other way round.

So, surely it's glorious for the wallabies or all blacks if they defeat the British Lions, but the glory surely doesn't work both ways... yet we're celebrating it as a big achievement? - we're a nation of nearly 60 million ffs; it's pretty sad that we need help from Wales, Scotland and Ireland to beat the Aussies... and still lose a series to the 4.5 million population New Zealand

[I Hate Hleb]

But g88ner, they have the advantage of playing at home with - if not a settled team- generally a squad full of players that have played together in the past (although picking a lot of Welshmen probably helped the Lions this time). They also have the ability to call up a whole heap of other players to fill the gaps in case of injury that are readily available and who are match fit and battle-hardened as their season is generally on-going when the Lions tour (unlike with our lads). Plus they don't need any time acclimatising to the conditions, which isn't the case with our boys. So all in all, it kind of balances it up in my eyes!!

[LDB]

Brillant Lions

Yeah, but I still feel uneasy that a nation of 57 million (England) teams up with Scotland, Wales and Ireland (taking the population to around 70 million) to play Australia (23 million)... or worse, the All Blacks (4.5million!!! )

I'm just not sure there's much glory in that, to be honest

was the Battle of Rorke's Drift fair, no so behave

That helps my point! - it's glorious for a smaller army to defeat a much larger one, but not as glorious the other way round.

So, surely it's glorious for the wallabies or all blacks if they defeat the British Lions, but the glory surely doesn't work both ways... yet we're celebrating it as a big achievement? - we're a nation of nearly 60 million ffs; it's pretty sad that we need help from Wales, Scotland and Ireland to beat the Aussies... and still lose a series to the 4.5 million population New Zealand

By that logic surely china have the best rugger team in the world?

[g88ner]

By that logic surely china have the best rugger team in the world?

Ah come on LDB mate, did you really write that sentence? - I haven't got the time to explain why China aren't the best rugby nation (or football nation) in the world; I kind of assumed we'd be a little beyond that basic understanding of sport.

So without going into the reasons behind it, I think we can jump forward to the fact that China aren't a Rugby nation (if we don't, this will become an essay! ) so to take this topic outside of the rugby world is devaluing the discussion for a cheap thrill of trying to catch me out on something you know full well I didn't mean!!
- come on, do you honestly think I'd be saying there's no glory in China defeating the All Blacks at rugby?

What I'm saying is that England are a proud and successful rugby nation, with a history of rivalry with the Aussies that makes any encounter between the two a glorious occasion for the victor.
- now, for me, considering our rivalry and history with the Aussies, I'm not sure it's all that glorious that we recruit other nations help to attempt to beat them, that's all. It devalues the victory - not to the point that it's not worth acknowledging, but it is what it is. Then you look at the population stats, and it makes me feel a little more uneasy still.

I'd feel the same if a British and Ireland team played football. For me, it's England or nothing - and joining forces devalues any achievement.

[LDB]

By that logic surely china have the best rugger team in the world?

Ah come on LDB mate, did you really write that sentence? - I haven't got the time to explain why China aren't the best rugby nation (or football nation) in the world; I kind of assumed we'd be a little beyond that basic understanding of sport.

So without going into the reasons behind it, I think we can jump forward to the fact that China aren't a Rugby nation (if we don't, this will become an essay! ) so to take this topic outside of the rugby world is devaluing the discussion for a cheap thrill of trying to catch me out on something you know full well I didn't mean!!
- come on, do you honestly think I'd be saying there's no glory in China defeating the All Blacks at rugby?

What I'm saying is that England are a proud and successful rugby nation, with a history of rivalry with the Aussies that makes any encounter between the two a glorious occasion for the victor.
- now, for me, considering our rivalry and history with the Aussies, I'm not sure it's all that glorious that we recruit other nations help to attempt to beat them, that's all. It devalues the victory - not to the point that it's not worth acknowledging, but it is what it is. Then you look at the population stats, and it makes me feel a little more uneasy still.

I'd feel the same if a British and Ireland team played football. For me, it's England or nothing - and joining forces devalues any achievement.

Well the only factor that seemed to come into your thinking when evaluating the lions victory was the population of the countries involved. Let's take another "rugby playing nation" then, how about france? They regularly lose to the all blacks and have a population of some 70 million.

Australia definitely punch above their weight in population terms but then they have a rich sporting culture with strong domestic leagues to breed talent and the weather to play a magnitude of sport all year round. Plus they do fuck all proper work

There are lots of factors that come together to make a good national team in any sport and to dismiss the achievement of those 23 lads because they represent 70 million people - the vast majority of which will never touch a yuppie ball in their life - is a bit unfair. Hell, 10 (i think) of the 15 starters came purely from wales (population 3million). Wales are another country that punches above itself in rugger because in modern wales you either work for the council, emigrate to England or play rugger bugger ball.

Sport must be really boring if you just compare populations - the lions aren't 3.043478260869565 times better then Australia . You certainly can't have enjoyed many Ashes series over the years

[g88ner]

Well the only factor that seemed to come into your thinking when evaluating the lions victory was the population of the countries involved. Let's take another "rugby playing nation" then, how about france? They regularly lose to the all blacks and have a population of some 70 million.

Australia definitely punch above their weight in population terms but then they have a rich sporting culture with strong domestic leagues to breed talent and the weather to play a magnitude of sport all year round. Plus they do fuck all proper work

There are lots of factors that come together to make a good national team in any sport and to dismiss the achievement of those 23 lads because they represent 70 million people - the vast majority of which will never touch a yuppie ball in their life - is a bit unfair. Hell, 10 (i think) of the 15 starters came purely from wales (population 3million). Wales are another country that punches above itself in rugger because in modern wales you either work for the council, emigrate to England or play rugger bugger ball.

Sport must be really boring if you just compare populations - the lions aren't 3.043478260869565 times better then Australia . You certainly can't have enjoyed many Ashes series over the years

FFS LDB, don't be a prick, mate

If you don't agree with me, fine - but stop trying to waste my time; I have no desire to carry on pouring water on views we both know full well I don't have.

For the last time... England won the world cup in 2003 and were in the final in 2007; beating the Aussies on both occasions. We're a huge, proud, successful rugby nation who have held their own against the Aussies on enough occasions so for me there's little to be gained in recruiting the help of neighbouring countries to defeat the Aussies.

There's nothing glorious about that.

You disagree - I see that. Leave it there and cut out the bullshit please. I'm not a kid and can't be arsed responding any more to wind up attempts such as that highlighted bit of nonsense above

And yes, I have enjoyed the Ashes. But when the Aussies were great a decade or so ago, I would rather battle hard and lose every time than recruit help from other leading cricketing nations. It defeats the object and devalues victory.

(and yes, I'm well aware I've said I can't be arsed responding to WUMming, and then did just that - you got me hook, like and sinker you bastard! )

[Dan_85]

I despise "big" sporting events like this Lions nonsense, and especially Wimbledon. "Go on Murray!" they all cry on facebook. Fuck off. Will you be keeping us all updated with events from the Budapest Tennis Grand Prix next week? Will you fuck. As if you even know anything about tennis or follow it for the other 51 weeks of the year. These are the same plums who will get all excited on facebook for a footy match once or twice a year; usually Utd vs Chelsea or some other such bollocks.

Sorry, i've had a few beers.

[Rosie_titters]

I despise "big" sporting events like this Lions nonsense, and especially Wimbledon. "Go on Murray!" they all cry on facebook. Fuck off. Will you be keeping us all updated with events from the Budapest Tennis Grand Prix next week? Will you fuck. As if you even know anything about tennis or follow it for the other 51 weeks of the year. These are the same plums who will get all excited on facebook for a footy match once or twice a year; usually Utd vs Chelsea or some other such bollocks.

Sorry, i've had a few beers.

100% agree, you sir are a legend

[LDB]

Well the only factor that seemed to come into your thinking when evaluating the lions victory was the population of the countries involved. Let's take another "rugby playing nation" then, how about france? They regularly lose to the all blacks and have a population of some 70 million.

Australia definitely punch above their weight in population terms but then they have a rich sporting culture with strong domestic leagues to breed talent and the weather to play a magnitude of sport all year round. Plus they do fuck all proper work

There are lots of factors that come together to make a good national team in any sport and to dismiss the achievement of those 23 lads because they represent 70 million people - the vast majority of which will never touch a yuppie ball in their life - is a bit unfair. Hell, 10 (i think) of the 15 starters came purely from wales (population 3million). Wales are another country that punches above itself in rugger because in modern wales you either work for the council, emigrate to England or play rugger bugger ball.

Sport must be really boring if you just compare populations - the lions aren't 3.043478260869565 times better then Australia . You certainly can't have enjoyed many Ashes series over the years

FFS LDB, don't be a prick, mate

If you don't agree with me, fine - but stop trying to waste my time; I have no desire to carry on pouring water on views we both know full well I don't have.

For the last time... England won the world cup in 2003 and were in the final in 2007; beating the Aussies on both occasions. We're a huge, proud, successful rugby nation who have held their own against the Aussies on enough occasions so for me there's little to be gained in recruiting the help of neighbouring countries to defeat the Aussies.

There's nothing glorious about that.

You disagree - I see that. Leave it there and cut out the bullshit please. I'm not a kid and can't be arsed responding any more to wind up attempts such as that highlighted bit of nonsense above

And yes, I have enjoyed the Ashes. But when the Aussies were great a decade or so ago, I would rather battle hard and lose every time than recruit help from other leading cricketing nations. It defeats the object and devalues victory.

(and yes, I'm well aware I've said I can't be arsed responding to WUMming, and then did just that - you got me hook, like and sinker you bastard! )

Ok... I thought personal abuse was banned around here but I guess you're an exception?

Why do I "know full well" you don't have those views? Because you're so clever that you can't possibly be wrong about anything?

I'm sorry, I didn't realise that finding sporting merit in population sizes was such a mainstream view that to disagree with it is to be a WUM.

Just one last point, the lions is a tradition that goes back to 1888 so to say it's just England "recruiting" other countries to help us out is missing the point. And I don't even like rugby.

[LDB]

I despise "big" sporting events like this Lions nonsense, and especially Wimbledon. "Go on Murray!" they all cry on facebook. Fuck off. Will you be keeping us all updated with events from the Budapest Tennis Grand Prix next week? Will you fuck. As if you even know anything about tennis or follow it for the other 51 weeks of the year. These are the same plums who will get all excited on facebook for a footy match once or twice a year; usually Utd vs Chelsea or some other such bollocks.

Sorry, i've had a few beers.

I agree, especially regarding football matches. If you don't follow football then don't just turn up in the glory moments to claim ownership and gloat on facebook. It's one of the most unbearable things about world cups, all the wankers who suddenly appear to watch England games.

But with fringe sports like Tennis while it's mildly annoying at least these big events might inspire more people to take up the game which can only be good in the long term.