Wales v England

[Pondlife]

I think that the result was a genuine shock to most of the Welsh. All the banter before the game had the hashtag of stoptheslam, not winning the competition. I don't think anyone saw a 30 point margin on the horizon - they just wanted the scalp however scruffy.

After the Ireland game and following on from dismal results against the Argies and Samoa, many were calling for Howley's head on a pike but the guy has clearly been paying attention to Geech/Gatland's words. He went through a bit of a dodgy patch (rumours of massive gambling debts and that he was banging Henry's daughter before she was packed off back to the other land of sheep) in the noughties but seems to have come through so fair play to him.

I think the Lions selection is going to be tough. Farrel buckled under the pressure, so who to pick? I thought he'd be a shoo-in, now I don't.

I do think that a fair number of those selected will be used to a red jersey, Jamie Roberts, Warburton, Halfpenny, Tipuric, Cuthbert I would say have an excellent chance, as do Alun Wyn Jones, Jenkins & Adam Jones


Your thoughts on Lions' selection?

[psychocandy]

Dear Wales,

start by cutting the bloody ticket prices so that people can actually afford to take the whole family with them and have some cash left for fish and chips afterwards.

Oh, and I believe England women beat Wales women at the weekend.

Yours sincerely,

England



ps, imho all the unions charge too much for international games, not just the WRU

Thing is for WalesvEngland it wouldnt matter what the face value of the ticket is anyway - you just can't get hold of them.

[psychocandy]

I think that the result was a genuine shock to most of the Welsh. All the banter before the game had the hashtag of stoptheslam, not winning the competition. I don't think anyone saw a 30 point margin on the horizon - they just wanted the scalp however scruffy.

After the Ireland game and following on from dismal results against the Argies and Samoa, many were calling for Howley's head on a pike but the guy has clearly been paying attention to Geech/Gatland's words. He went through a bit of a dodgy patch (rumours of massive gambling debts and that he was banging Henry's daughter before she was packed off back to the other land of sheep) in the noughties but seems to have come through so fair play to him.

I think the Lions selection is going to be tough. Farrel buckled under the pressure, so who to pick? I thought he'd be a shoo-in, now I don't.

I do think that a fair number of those selected will be used to a red jersey, Jamie Roberts, Warburton, Halfpenny, Tipuric, Cuthbert I would say have an excellent chance, as do Alun Wyn Jones, Jenkins & Adam Jones


Your thoughts on Lions' selection?

Lions Selection - the whole Wales team. OK, maybe Robshaw on the bench.

Tell you what - to make it fair we need to add another englishman to the touring party - Shaun Edwards... LOL

[Mich the Tester]

Lions Selection - the whole Wales team. OK, maybe Robshaw on the bench.

Tell you what - to make it fair we need to add another englishman to the touring party - Shaun Edwards... LOL

Robshaw definitely. Haskell depending on form. Farrell's not the finished article but he'd be worth taking as he'll mature into it during the tour.

As for the rest of the backs, I don't really know what they're for so I shall refrain from commenting.

[MyUserName]

Where I grew up rugby games against England were almost at fever pitch (pitch - get it?). Other games could come and go but there seemed to be genuine hostility at the English matches. This was 20 years or so ago so usually Wales were usually annhiliated which just made things worse, honestly if I was English in that town I would not have gone out that night as, unless you had decent backup, you would probably get your head kicked in. I did not follow rugby at the time so I never got into it myself but I witnessed it and it is frighteningly easy to get carried along with.

A year or two before I went to university, that would be 98 or 97ish, Cardiff university had the idea of showing the match in the main hall and having the Welsh fans on one side and the English on the other and separating them by a column of bouncers. After half an hour the English were getting all manner of things thrown at them and the bouncers were powerless as they were outnumbered by about 10 - 1.

I have been out drinking in Cardiff after Wales - England matches and the place is often like a timebomb (although I was out with other guys from the Valleys so it might have just been them). Again I got swept up in the drinking and shouting and joined in shouting abusive songs about Will Carling and other players (most of whom I did not even recognise the names of), I never actually tried to hurt anyone over it but you could cut the tension with a knife. Naturally the English fans retaliated with their own songs etc. I would dread being a bouncer in a night club on those nights.

This never seemed to happen when Wales were beaten by - I mean- played other teams though.

[Pondlife]

I have been out drinking in Cardiff after Wales - England matches and the place is often like a timebomb (although I was out with other guys from the Valleys so it might have just been them). Again I got swept up in the drinking and shouting and joined in shouting abusive songs about Will Carling and other players (most of whom I did not even recognise the names of), I never actually tried to hurt anyone over it but you could cut the tension with a knife. Naturally the English fans retaliated with their own songs etc. I would dread being a bouncer in a night club on those nights.

I have to disagree with this. I have NEVER seen any trouble between Welsh & English fans after a game, regardless of result. This could be because I don't drink in Walkabout/Flares type places.

If anything any guys in English shirts still out on Sat night would most likely have had a pint bought for them amid some pisstaking.

Edit: This obviously only applies to Rugby and not football. It could get messy next season if Swansea and Cardiff are playing each other again.

[Mich the Tester]

I have to disagree with this. I have NEVER seen any trouble between Welsh & English fans after a game, regardless of result. This could be because I don't drink in Walkabout/Flares type places.

If anything any guys in English shirts still out on Sat night would most likely have had a pint bought for them amid some pisstaking.

Dunno about Cardiff after internationals but I'll take your word for it; probably depends on which pub you visit, just as anywhere else in the world. I do know this; I played against Welsh clubs a number of times as a student and as a club player, and invariably the crowd were very hostile, the matches were hard and often dirty and involved a fair bit of bloodletting, but as soon as we got to the changing room we were presented with crates of beer and in the bar afterwards we all had a bloody good laugh together.

[MyUserName]

I have to disagree with this. I have NEVER seen any trouble between Welsh & English fans after a game, regardless of result. This could be because I don't drink in Walkabout/Flares type places.

If anything any guys in English shirts still out on Sat night would most likely have had a pint bought for them amid some pisstaking.

Really?! The pisstaking happened when I was there but it always seemed to have an edge to it, I cannot recall seeing any actual violence in Cardiff over it though, there was plenty in Ammanford but there always was regardless of anything that was happening.

I cannot clearly recall which pubs we drank in (for me university was 15 years ago), although many of the people I was with were the same guys who were from Ammanford so it could easily have just been them.

Edit: This obviously only applies to Rugby and not football. It could get messy next season if Swansea and Cardiff are playing each other again.

Oh yes, the same is the case for me. Football, especially Swansea and Cardiff, seems to have a much more aggressive fan base.

[Mich the Tester]

Football, especially Swansea and Cardiff, seems to have a much more aggressive fan base.

Perhaps that balances out the rather effeminate bunch of gelboys on the pitch.

[gingerjedi]

...England has its chavs, Wales has chavs too..

The difference being football is 'the peoples game' in England whereas for Wales it's Rugby.

They were all going on about getting one over on the 'English toffs'.