6 NATIONS 2021

[kk20gb30]

Peter O’Mahony available for selection again...

[loretta]

The year the Scottish media doesn’t drag out Jim Telfer is the year I will recognise that they have got over their England chip and I will possibly start to think things may be on the up for them. And just to put it into context my mother and grandparents were Scottish, so they’re my ‘second’ international team and I want to see them do well, but this frustrates me every year. They have to treat England fixtures as no different to any other.

You can't blame any team for being able to up their performance against England. You may pity them if they can't manage to do it against anybody else.

For those rugby following Brits who are unfortunate enough not to be English, this should be a major problem! If your highly paid side can only play at it's full potential against one opponent, it's like any other professional on a massive wedge turning up for work on a Monday and slacking off for the rest of the week, every single week of the year! Instead of taking pride and going out of their way to gloat (something that would earn a fat lip when I was growing up) on that one day, why aren't Welsh, Scots and Irish pulling their collective hair out in frustration at the slack attitude!!

Put in a proper shift, every day of the week, and they might actually become a major force on the world stage.

[mightymouse]

I don’t think it’s the case that Scotland get up for England.
Scotland have limited resources and therefore need as many of the top 20 odd players available as possible.
Against England they were without top 2 hookers and Hastings and G Horne but otherwise looking fairly good for missing players. They caught England cold with a stack of undercooked Sarries playing below par.
Against Wales Scotland looked on top form and dead Certs to win until the unfortunate Fagerson incident. Meanwhile Wales have 6 penalties in the red zone, 3 of which were the persistently offending AWJ who miraculously manages to stay on the field in spite of slowing down play in 22 continuously.
Versus Ireland I think 2 problems occurred. 1 is the accumulation of injury before and during the match adding to the growing list .. Redpath, Gray R , Gray J, Finn, Cummings, start to take their toll.2nd is that they had had a 1 month lay off due to Covid cancellation of France game so now they look undercooked. Also I think Ireland are improving and played really well.
So I don’t think it’s lack of ambition or desire but just the fact of life of numbers of professional players available.

[JP14]

I'm English so it doesn't matter a jot to me what a Scottish rugby fan's priority is, but for a majority to only care about the Calcutta Cup that's pretty unambitious and shallow. Does that reflect onto the national team itself? Arguably from the Wales game you could say yes, but we'll be forever bogged down by whether or whether not Scotland would have won that game without the red card...

I’m Welsh so naturally we enjoy beating England but we more enjoy beating the bigger fish.

You haven't beaten New Zealand since 1953...

[JP14]

I'm English so it doesn't matter a jot to me what a Scottish rugby fan's priority is, but for a majority to only care about the Calcutta Cup that's pretty unambitious and shallow. Does that reflect onto the national team itself? Arguably from the Wales game you could say yes, but we'll be forever bogged down by whether or whether not Scotland would have won that game without the red card...

Well the Scottish are apparently brought up to hate the English.

Oh no! What a travesty!

[h's dad]

The 30s was when it last happened, so most of their fans have never enjoyed beating a "bigger fish" - probably why the England wins are so important to them.

It was 1953

And this from the person who said (or at least implies) the last time England were in a RWC final was ancient history

[ourla]

With Scotland I've always found it to be more banter than real hatred. Super friendly when ever I've been north of the border.

North Wales on the other hand...

Although that might have changed since I visited places like Rhyl and Llangollen in the 80's and 90's!

[ay2oh]

I have two good friends who are Scottish and they both say that it is only a minority of Scots who are bought up to hate the English although of the places I have been in the uk following Tigers I find the Scots the most unfriendly.

[TigerFeetSteve]

With Scotland I've always found it to be more banter than real hatred. Super friendly when ever I've been north of the border.

I agree re Scotland.

My sister lives in Scotland with her Scottish other half. I have been in many Scottish pubs & Murrayfield itself during Calcutta cup matches, never once have I had anything but friendly banter.

[Robespierre]

I’ve been to Edinburgh three times for a 6N match and the Scots are just great!

[Wayne Richardson Fan Club]

With Scotland I've always found it to be more banter than real hatred. Super friendly when ever I've been north of the border.

North Wales on the other hand...

Although that might have changed since I visited places like Rhyl and Llangollen in the 80's and 90's!

Rhyl....A hybrid Birmingham/Liverpool on Sea.

[Dokie]

The year the Scottish media doesn’t drag out Jim Telfer is the year I will recognise that they have got over their England chip and I will possibly start to think things may be on the up for them. And just to put it into context my mother and grandparents were Scottish, so they’re my ‘second’ international team and I want to see them do well, but this frustrates me every year. They have to treat England fixtures as no different to any other.

You can't blame any team for being able to up their performance against England. You may pity them if they can't manage to do it against anybody else.

For those rugby following Brits who are unfortunate enough not to be English, this should be a major problem! If your highly paid side can only play at it's full potential against one opponent, it's like any other professional on a massive wedge turning up for work on a Monday and slacking off for the rest of the week, every single week of the year! Instead of taking pride and going out of their way to gloat (something that would earn a fat lip when I was growing up) on that one day, why aren't Welsh, Scots and Irish pulling their collective hair out in frustration at the slack attitude!!

Put in a proper shift, every day of the week, and they might actually become a major force on the world stage.

Fortunate to be Welsh is the phrase you were looking for!
Don’t lump us into this conversation. In case you’ve missed the last few weeks, we’re top again, with 4 from 4, playing for a record equalling grand slam.

[Dokie]

I'm English so it doesn't matter a jot to me what a Scottish rugby fan's priority is, but for a majority to only care about the Calcutta Cup that's pretty unambitious and shallow. Does that reflect onto the national team itself? Arguably from the Wales game you could say yes, but we'll be forever bogged down by whether or whether not Scotland would have won that game without the red card...

I’m Welsh so naturally we enjoy beating England but we more enjoy beating the bigger fish.

You haven't beaten New Zealand since 1953...

Try to keep up, I’ve already posted this.
There’s more bigger fish than England than just the all blacks.

[ay2oh]

Welshies bragging again because they’ve won a couple of games

[loretta]

You can't blame any team for being able to up their performance against England. You may pity them if they can't manage to do it against anybody else.

For those rugby following Brits who are unfortunate enough not to be English, this should be a major problem! If your highly paid side can only play at it's full potential against one opponent, it's like any other professional on a massive wedge turning up for work on a Monday and slacking off for the rest of the week, every single week of the year! Instead of taking pride and going out of their way to gloat (something that would earn a fat lip when I was growing up) on that one day, why aren't Welsh, Scots and Irish pulling their collective hair out in frustration at the slack attitude!!

Put in a proper shift, every day of the week, and they might actually become a major force on the world stage.

Fortunate to be Welsh is the phrase you were looking for!
Don’t lump us into this conversation. In case you’ve missed the last few weeks, we’re top again, with 4 from 4, playing for a record equalling grand slam.

Patience

Wait for him to turn, and.... set the hook!

Thank you Dokie. I enjoyed that.