Completely agree.
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Me too! 👍
I do enjoy the Lions Tours although like most sporting events the ultra hype that surrounds it from all at Sky Sports can be over the top. With Wales unlikely to be anywhere a decent standard for a longtime to come, it’s nice to follow a rugby team where the game isn’t over before it starts!
It’s a funny old world we live in. Those “weirdos” that you talk about may think that we are weird, spending our hard earned week in week out on following a shit football team, then spending time on a MB moaning like **** about it 😂
Peace and love back to you Jordi boy 👍
I’ve always loved the lions, from the naming of the squad, the moaning about why even more wales players aren’t in it, all the way through to the team selection and matches. But this time does feel different for me and it’s all down to the lack of Welsh representation. Suddenly it feels like watching an Ireland v Scotland 6 nations match - half hearted at best. I will watch but impassively just waiting for Tomas Williams to come off the bench - if he’s even on it!
I'm firmly Welsh before British but do generally want Team GB to do well at the Olympics but didn't support the football team at all, as you say, it felt very contrived. I do support the British and Irish Lions though, although finding myself less engaged this time due to the lack of Welshmen.
Weirdly, despite usually wanting England to lose every competition they're in I do support the cricket team.
Happy to do a Q&A on my complicated supporting habits on Zoom if anybody's interested
I’d imagine most of us have “strange” supporting habits.
As you say, I always consider myself Welsh before British, and support all Welsh sporting teams and individuals.
What has always irked me though, is although we are a sporting nation, we have always had to rely on England in football and cricket.
As much as it may hurt to admit it, Welsh football and Welsh cricket would collapse if we went it alone.
It's complicated isn't it, and on several occasions I've had this chat with Americans in bars.
Wales football - yes
Wales rugby - yes
England football - actually yes sometimes esp later in tournaments (sorry!)
England rugby - not on your nelly, squire.
Team GB - yes
England cricket - yes (cos it's the Wales team too)
British Rugby League - yes (when they played)
England Rugby Leaguev- yes (cos Wales are really shit now)
Lions - yes, but not so bothered
If they survive that and get another pint you can move onto the Welsh clubs playing in the English leagues thing, and then the fact an English club always wins the Welsh league.
Average amount of players representing each nation on tour since 1966:
England 11.9
Wales 11
Ireland 8.1
Scotland 5.7
Amount of tours captained by English players - 4
Amount of tours captained by Welsh or Irish players - 5
Amount of tours captained by Scottish players - 3
"I rest my case" Jesus I'd love to come up against you in a courtroom if you were a lawyer :hehe:
Previous tours are irrelevant. I was referring to this tour. With Andy Farrell in charge the test side will no doubt be dominated by English players. Each to their own, but I can’t stand the England Rugby Union team and its set up, I think they are an arrogant bunch of tossers, their supporters even more so having come into contact with them through work a couple of times recently, and so have no desire to watch a Lions tour dominated by its players and head coach.
You were referring to this tour of which the majority of the players are Irish when you described it as "England with a small token gesture of the other nations"? Come on now. Time will tell whether it'll be a test team dominated by England but as Andy Farrell has been the head coach of the (very successful) Irish team for the past 6 years I suspect it'll be a majority of his Irish players, just like the squad is.
Jesus wept. The OP said the game against Argentina was on and asked if anyone else was interested. So my reply of “No thanks” because it was “England with a small token gesture of the rest the nations” was pretty accurate considering 60% of the starting XV were from England and 40% from the other 3 countries put together. And I am aware some of the Irish players were involved in big games the week before but the point still stands for the Argentina game. Time will tell on the test sides v the Aussies but I don’t think I’ll be far wrong on my assertion that the test side will be dominated by the English. There will certainly be very little room for any Welsh or Scottish players in the test side.
Delmbeth, I know TLG is on a self imposed sabbatical and Eric has flounced, but this is not your time to be crowned King of the CCMB Pedants. They are on a different pedantry level when it comes to scoring meaningless internet points. Leave it go butty.
Very own Barry George. That did make me laugh 😂
Well, wish I hadn't mentioned it :hehe: