Non-football oval-shaped thread

[Former Labour leader]

The problem with the Welsh media and a heck of a lot of Welsh rugby fans is they think everybody in Wales is interested in the nonsense they write and that everybody in Wales is obsessed with rugby

Its simply not true

For me, watching a game of rugby is good entertainment, at international level its exciting stuff on the whole

Club rugby I find boring

Football wise I regard England as our rivals , it doesn't matter that they are better than us and generally qualify for tournaments , they are our nearest rivals

I am amazed that until 2016 many Welsh people had no interest in the Welsh national team and would support England if they got to the world Cup or euros

These were often the same people who supported Liverpool or man United and wanted Wales to smash the English in the six nations

Odd

Just to pick up on one point. I spend a lot of time in Mid and North Wales and during the Euros they went mad for the football, even renaming Bala 'Bale'. This wasnt a one off. These are football dominated parts of Wales, even if S Wales is mixed.

Ps I have no interest in the egg myself.

[Hilts]

Just to pick up on one point. I spend a lot of time in Mid and North Wales and during the Euros they went mad for the football, even renaming Bala 'Bale'. This wasnt a one off. These are football dominated parts of Wales, even if S Wales is mixed.

Ps I have no interest in the egg myself.

Thats just not true. We are a nation of rugby lovers its in out blood and there wont be a household this afternoon not crammed around the TV. The nation will come to a halt as we cheer on our brave boys.

[Gofer Blue]

I will be watching Wales this afternoon but more through a sense of loyalty rather than any particular affection for the game any more. The plethora of petty rules, the endless time wasting scrums and hoof-ball followed by ping-pong in my opinion are ruining the enjoyment of the game.

[MacAdder]

I will watch it out of habit and the fact it is a big even in the sporting calendar.

Like every other sporting event I've watched since lockdown, I don't expect it to be "the same".

Not interested in all the rhetoric that goes with it that has already been mentioned in this and other threads.
Much like football really.

Still hope Wales win though.


Edit:
A big plus, no daffodil hats!

[xsnaggle]

Scotland deserved it as well and I’m not going to apologise for loving seeing England getting beaten - there’s an arrogance centred around rugby English rugby in particular that invites such a reaction.

And that arrogance is palpable.
We as the 'small neighbours next door' cannot be accused of bias about their arrogance because it is mirrored by every other rugby playing nation in the world. Speak to people from any of them and they will say the same thing, England are arrogant and believe they have a god-given right to win. Thats why people enjoy anyone beating them, not just their own national team.

The old saying is a true one, "I only support 2 teams, my own national side and whoever's playing against England"

[A Quiet Monkfish]

I will be watching Wales this afternoon but more through a sense of loyalty rather than any particular affection for the game any more. The plethora of petty rules, the endless time wasting scrums and hoof-ball followed by ping-pong in my opinion are ruining the enjoyment of the game.

On the few occasions I've watched International eggby I can't stop keeping an eye on the referee, constantly anticipating his whistle followed by a minute's explanation of why he's stopped the game in mid flow, finishing off with 'alright lads/chaps..".

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

You’re right, most of that post is odd.

The number of sweeping generalisations about things are staggering, even for you. I can’t be arsed going through all of it but people had no interest in Welsh football until 2016? People would support England? Have you been dropping acid in your tea?

we had a hard core of Welsh fans who would support the side but once we qualified for euro 2016 people who couldn't give a toss about football jumped on board

And there are plenty of examples of people on here of people who have shouted down when cheering a goal against England in a pub , in Wales

Given that loads of Welsh people support English football clubs its no surprise

As for England, I don't care if they see their main rivals as Germany, they are 40 miles from most of us. Our rivals may be better than us and bigger than us but they are still our rivals .

Leeds United see their rivals as man United, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday , Chelsea etc

Ask Bradford City and Huddersfield who they hope lose , especially when they are playing them ?

Put it this way , it isn't Halifax Town

[Baloo]

Wales have been garbage so far. Are line-outs really that difficult? Ireland dominating with 14 men. Living off scraps of possession.

[Gofer Blue]

On the few occasions I've watched International eggby I can't stop keeping an eye on the referee, constantly anticipating his whistle followed by a minute's explanation of why he's stopped the game in mid flow, finishing off with 'alright lads/chaps..".

Yes Iknow that can be annoying but the game would be even more stop/start and boring sometimes without the ref's intervention e.g. reminding players not to stray offside, not to "come in from the side" etc. I would rip up the rule book and start again with a view to making the game flow. For a start scrap the scrum!

[BLUETIT]

Yes Iknow that can be annoying but the game would be even more stop/start and boring sometimes without the ref's intervention e.g. reminding players not to stray offside, not to "come in from the side" etc. I would rip up the rule book and start again with a view to making the game flow. For a start scrap the scrum!

Methinks you're inventing "Rugby League"

[Jordi Culé]

we had a hard core of Welsh fans who would support the side but once we qualified for euro 2016 people who couldn't give a toss about football jumped on board

And there are plenty of examples of people on here of people who have shouted down when cheering a goal against England in a pub , in Wales

Given that loads of Welsh people support English football clubs its no surprise

As for England, I don't care if they see their main rivals as Germany, they are 40 miles from most of us. Our rivals may be better than us and bigger than us but they are still our rivals .

Leeds United see their rivals as man United, Middlesbrough, Sheffield Wednesday , Chelsea etc

Ask Bradford City and Huddersfield who they hope lose , especially when they are playing them ?

Put it this way , it isn't Halifax Town

Wales football fans are as fickle as City's. Are you suggesting Wales have never attracted large crowds to games during qualification matches?

The Red Wall nonsense grates me but Wales could always attract the attendances when doing well. You're pissing in the wind with your recollections.

Welsh people/fans being shouted down in pubs for cheering when England concede a goal. Where does this happen? Hay on Wye?

Leeds have got a rivalry with Man United. Their fans detest each other.

Rivalry is a two way thing isn't it? It's hardly a rivalry if one of the so called rivals is at best apathetic about the other.

[xsnaggle]

Wales football fans are as fickle as City's. Are you suggesting Wales have never attracted large crowds to games during qualification matches?

The Red Wall nonsense grates me but Wales could always attract the attendances when doing well. You're pissing in the wind with your recollections.

Welsh people/fans being shouted down in pubs for cheering when England concede a goal. Where does this happen? Hay on Wye?

Leeds have got a rivalry with Man United. Their fans detest each other.

Rivalry is a two way thing isn't it? It's hardly a rivalry if one of the so called rivals is at best apathetic about the other.

Newport County are a perfect example of that. City fans tend to watch out for their score and root for them and applaud them when they do well like giant killing in the cup and presently in the league, yet their supporters hate City.
So you're right, that isn't rivalry but I don't know what the heel it is.

[surge]

Rugby seems to be at a low currently. That might be too many sides in transition preparing for the next World Cup, it might be that laws have changed to offer greater protection to players and coaching staff/players haven't caught up so too many red cards and penalties, it might be it's a sport that really needs fans in the stadium to add a level of drama it doesn't have without them but it is definitely at a low point.

Ireland were the better side today but Wales scored two nice tries and most importantly remembered how to win. Apparently, Pivac has a break clause in his contract two years in so we'll see at the end of this tournament whether we're going to continue this route or scramble around for something else.

[the other bob wilson]

Rugby seems to be at a low currently. That might be too many sides in transition preparing for the next World Cup, it might be that laws have changed to offer greater protection to players and coaching staff/players haven't caught up so too many red cards and penalties, it might be it's a sport that really needs fans in the stadium to add a level of drama it doesn't have without them but it is definitely at a low point.

Ireland were the better side today but Wales scored two nice tries and most importantly remembered how to win. Apparently, Pivac has a break clause in his contract two years in so we'll see at the end of this tournament whether we're going to continue this route or scramble around for something else.

I remember the Rugby World Cup from 1994 I think it was when Wales just pumped the ball up the pitch endlessly and, with the opposition doing the same, games were a strange, mind numbing version of tennis. Unbelievably, rugby seems to have got itself into that position again. I don’t think Wales would have had a chance of winning without the, justified, red card, but the odd thing was that, amid all of the boring stuff, Wales scored two sharp tries that Ireland, for all of their domination of large spells of the game, didn’t have the cutting-edge to match.

[Gofer Blue]

Methinks you're inventing "Rugby League"

More or less!

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

Wales football fans are as fickle as City's. Are you suggesting Wales have never attracted large crowds to games during qualification matches?

The Red Wall nonsense grates me but Wales could always attract the attendances when doing well. You're pissing in the wind with your recollections.

Welsh people/fans being shouted down in pubs for cheering when England concede a goal. Where does this happen? Hay on Wye?

Leeds have got a rivalry with Man United. Their fans detest each other.

Rivalry is a two way thing isn't it? It's hardly a rivalry if one of the so called rivals is at best apathetic about the other.

yes , of course Wales fans are as fickle as city's, the Welsh are very fickle

Lots of examples of crap crowds at Welsh international games

Even the WRU struggle to sell tickets when the international team are having a rough patch

Leeds are hated by Bradford City and the feeling is mutual . The fact they rarely play each other doesn't come into it .

[Ianto13]

England is the biggest country along with France has the most players, most money etc they should always win so the Celtic nations always support each other in wanting to beat them against the odds! It was the same in Football when we had the Home Nations which England would usually win and in the end together with Scotland decided Wales and Ireland weren’t good enough to compete with them on a regular basis?

[delmbox]

Newport County are a perfect example of that. City fans tend to watch out for their score and root for them and applaud them when they do well like giant killing in the cup and presently in the league, yet their supporters hate City.
So you're right, that isn't rivalry but I don't know what the heel it is.

Describing us and England as having a "rivalry" in football is a bit embarrassing because they couldn't care less about us. During Euro 2016 a lot of my English friends were genuinely surprised at how much we wanted them to lose when they were rooting for us to do well.

[splott parker]

Methinks you're inventing "Rugby League"

I’ll raise your methinks with a gadzooks seeing as we’re going all medieval

[Harry Paget Flashman]

Not cricket, since it includes Welshmen. (EWCB)

Not for me. Same goes for the Lions.

[surge]

Describing us and England as having a "rivalry" in football is a bit embarrassing because they couldn't care less about us. During Euro 2016 a lot of my English friends were genuinely surprised at how much we wanted them to lose when they were rooting for us to do well.

I have heard that Germany feel the same way and consider their rivalry with the Dutch. Is it really a rivalry if one team is so much more successful than the other?

On the other hand, people in England generally know so little about relationship with Wales (Scotland/Northern Ireland/Ireland) whereas we know a bit more about it, although not always seeing as our media is still mostly from an English perspective and apathy or self-negativity is too often a national trait. How many know for example that time our anthem was banned at Wembley?

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.wal...t-12351782.amp

Do things like that mean we have a different view on it whereas lots of them didn't know we existed before 2016? Still, Southgate used the Welsh corner routine in Russian World Cup and credited spending time scouting rugby and basketball without mentioning us and English pundits always quick to point out English born Welsh players whereas they don't do similar for their stars so maybe there is something coming back from that side? Them not wanting us to win isn't the only way it can manifest itself.

Let's be honest though I) the English FA's job is to make England successful and they're quite alright pretending Wales (or a anyone else) doesn't exist if that improves their odds and that can include overriding any thoughts of any potential rivalry and ii) sports rivalry is slowly changing so now more about us winning more trophies rather than having an empty fixture against a neighbour which is a cup final in emotion only. That might change again in a political climate where some Welsh/non-Welsh who don't want Wales to exist in any real way and those who want it be more confident and defined and these smaller things might become more important.

[stan butler]

This all day.

The small mindedness chip on the shoulder shit is embarrassing.

Kelly Jones and all that as long as we beat the English crap.

Get the chips off your shoulders. Its embarrassing.

I read somewhere that the midget singer supports leeds an english team? 🙄

[SLUDGE FACTORY]

I read somewhere that the midget singer supports leeds an english team? 🙄

Indeed he does

The Manics ? Nicky Wire , Spurs , Drummer , Liverpool .......whilst they hang Welsh flags over their amps

Bryn Terfyl .......Manchester United

But as long as we beat the English......

[Rjk]

it's similar in Ireland, where many people will support a big premier League side rather than a local team, but be very passionate about the national team.

[Rjk]

it's similar in Ireland, where many people will support a big premier League side rather than a local team, but be very passionate about the national team.

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.iri...728%3fmode=amp