Rugby Union

This is exactly what you posted on Any Football Fans - your point being?
I would take the liberty of reposting what I said on that thread
But do you actually have anything to say or contribute, FCUNITED?
It's all very well posting links to rugby or football teams that I and others may not have heard of- are you their PR spokesman erhaps?

Unbeaten team this season
www.newcastlefalcons.co.uk/news/story/leeds-9-newcastle-13

Great boost for England. (Inspired by the feisty performance last week by the Welsh in which they held the All Blacks at bay in the 2nd half despite all those injuries)
But poor old Wales - Warren G seems to have started an injury trend. The sooner he stops hobbling and gets back to his old self the better.

I watched the 'highlights' on BBC3 I think it was... some fine Rugby.

A 'gaffe', possibly... a 'gaff' is a pole with a hook on the end, for pulling big fish out of the water..

An excellent win for England. I only wish I could have seen the match! Why has Sky got a monopoly on the England matches?

Gloat away Anno it's a brilliant win for England.

Well done, England, in toppling the All Blacks from their pinnacle. My NZ nephew gloats on Facebook when they win. Strangely enough he has nothing to say today, so I've done a little gloating of my own, even though I'm Scots. Now what happened to that flag emoticon?

Ireland v Fiji at 5.30 this evening. Shame both England and Scotland lost today. Let's see how Ireland manage - I don't hold out much hope I'm afraid. So annoyed that Sky have all the England matches, some of us just don't have Sky and are real rugby fans! Depending on how the match goes, I might well switch to Strictly @ 6.30 p.m. I am very torn!

Missed that, but I saw Wales being soundly beaten by Argentina last week. What a shambles that was! Sorry Jess, but it was. On the other hand, although Scotland would never in a million years manage to beat the All Blacks, at least they managed to cross the NZ line three times. Wonder what they'll make of the bully-boy Springboks this afternoon. Pity England v Oz conflicts with Strictly! However, I have found the match on BBC 3 and set the recorder.

It's that time of year again. Wales beaten by Samoa last night by a whisker. Did Samoa deserve to win or were they excessively violent with those boulder-like shoulders? Looked like there might have been a couple of broken collarbones on the Welsh team.
I did enjoy Jonathan Edward's totally partisan commentary on BBC 2 Wales though.

Congratulations to all you Welsh fans - a well deserved win. Sad day for us Irish tho (despite the shamrock emocion and St Pat's Day!) . The young English lads did well and look to have a great future with, (dare I say it) Stuart Lancashire still their manager. I'm with you Jess M, I think the powers that be will be inclined to go wider afield. Maybe the troops will rebel?

So proud. I love Wales. Was born in Wales. I live in France and intend to continue to do so. But I was born in Llanelli and rugby is in my blood. So many French friends and neighbours believed Wales would win right at the start of the championship. The French never begrudge us the victory. And now this evening here in SW France it is raining - also very good news.

yes I do JessM

So ...now where is the red rose emocion???

what am I going to watch next weekend??

Does anyone else think Stuart Lancashire has done a great job and share a sneaky feeling that if he was not a self effacing northerner there would be no doubt that he is the right man to manage England? Class prejudice?

And another YES!!!! YES!!! YES!!!!!.
Jess, I do remember those days, at Teacher Training College in Cardiff 1963-1966 ( interviewed Brian Price, Pontypool front row for the College Newspaper! He was a 'mature' student for 1 year) Several students went on to play for Wales.
In the days when meals were provided on site, the 'dinner ladies' turned a blind eye to the Rugby lads going around for a second dinner.... building up their strength!!!
You're quite right the current lot are a lovely bunch of young men, not a cauliflower ear amongst them.
Awaiting the triumphant return of the OG and No. 2 son who were lucky enought to be at the stadium!

YES!!!!!! YES!!!!! YES!!!!!!!
I think the glory days of Welsh rugby have finally returned. 3 Grand Slams not a fluke.
is it me or are they an exceptionally fine looking squad? Beautiful bunch of men!
Do you remember the days when lots of players looked like they had been chewing wasps and getting stung all over their heads?

OK JessM ...I heard you cheering and shrieking!!

Well Done Wales!!

Now where is that LEEK emocion??

Oh well celtic is really shorthand for saying Scot/Welsh/irish - i think the celt thing is a bit of a misnomer really. But yes there has been a lot of froing and to-ing.
My sister and I both married Irish nationals and my DH's mother is English and father Irish.
Some of my ancestors came from north Devon in the industrial rev. when S Wales was drawing in workers from all over the place. It is more about people's identity really isn't it. Hence the rugby allegiances.

Pennysue - I should have thought that the Northern Scots would be predominantly Celtic with a mixture of Nordic genes. True Shetlanders and Orcadians are the most likely to be of mainly Nordic blood.

I know - however, statistical, the people of Great Britain, including England have a majority of celtic genes. Apart from Northern Scotland of course.

you are right pennysue up to a point. But us celts were invaded with armies and had a foreign language and culture imposed on us. We were occupied by a foreign power. Wales is chock full of huge great military outposts (castles) that were needed to maintain this state of affairs. Welsh speakers recall bitterly that is it not so long ago that children were beaten if they spoke Welsh in school.
That is what some people remember and not just the class oppression that came with it. Double whammy I'm afraid.

Yes JessM my son-in law who claims to be a Scot will cheer for Ireland anytime before he will cheer for England (his blood line is Irish/English but he lived in Scotland for virtually all of his youth!). It can get a bit difficult as other son in law is a fanatical English fan and takes the whole thing far too seriously. However, for the Irish the biggest match is the England v Ireland game but the rivalry is always kept to the 'pitch' and the good feeling afterwards is enjoyed by all.
Like you Annobel I have lived in England longer than I did Ireland, my daughters were born in England, DH is English, so I support England if Ireland are not playing. Sometimes it is hard to remember 'it is just a game' - but that thought should never cross my mind .....................................

Read the words of Flower of Scotland. It's about Bannockburn - 698 years ago. Do we never forget? In Ulster it's the Battle of the Boyne - don't know if Wales has anything comparable.

I suspect that the Scots and Welsh mostly had contact with the same kind of landlord class of Englishmen who were oppressing the English poor.