(Says me through gritted teethdata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7) England deserved those extra points to lift the trophy, what afantastic exciting game to finish the day. If you were to write a script it could not have gone any better. 211 points were scored today. This simply has to be the best rugby tournement in the world. Just watching the Irish players celebrating, so congratulations to the boys in green.
Best moment of the England game: Nigel Owen putting Mike Brown firmly in his place with his best teacher's voice, Brown replying 'Yes sir, sorry sir'.
Along with (talking to Chris Robshaw when he tried to labout a point), "Christpher?? Thank you." I bet only his mum calls him Christopher..... Hilarious data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
An amazing day of Rugby. Sovery close for England, but just not to be. If only that Scottish guy hadn't dropped the ball just as he was about to score the try against Ireland!
It's been coming for a long time, but it's now above football as my favourite sport.
You're one of us, now! Mwah-hah-hah-hah!!! data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7
To be fair - those 3 games were a priceless advert for the game. The drama just unfolded from the start and built and built. It also shows how exciting the game can be when 3 teams to do more than just get the win....
As a rugby fan of over 40 years standing (much of that spent on the South Terrace at Cardiff Arms Park), I can tell you you it feels a bit different on a cold, wet Friday evening when your team is on the receiving end of a thumping. But something keeps dragging me back. The camaraderie and craic plays a big part. Being able to actually stand, with a pint in your hand, next to opposition supporters and discuss the game, have a laugh and joke, shake hands at the end of the game and go our seperate ways is what makes it for me.
No question about it for me either. It definitely surpasses football in so many ways. I wish I'd gotten into it sooner. Was only a few years ago watching the 6 nations, I started to take to it. It's more exciting, there's far more respect, and there's no fannying around crying on the floor. Just a few reasons there straight off the top of my head!
Well as a Saints fan I've not seen my team get thumped for a long time. data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 (excluding that shocking Euro game Against Racing Metro the other week of course).
What is turning me away from football is several things, firstly some (not all!) of the supporters seem to be brain dead and if given the chance they would probably kill each other during a game. I was at Twickenham for the Premiership final last year and sat amongst us was the opposing fans and there was no trouble at all. Friendly banter and all good natured, despite them consuming copious amounts of beer and losingdata:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAIAAAAAAAP///yH5BAEAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAIBRAA7 . If that had been a football game there would probably have been a riot. The vicious language and hatred you see at football games I just don't understand.
Secondly the play acting, cheating, feigning injuries is just getting ridiculous in football. Players go down with the lightest of touches, rolling all over the floor. If they had any intelligence they would realise if you actually had hurt yourself, the last thing you do is roll over and over.
What a day!
For the coming World Cup, England should have Tuilagi and Corbisiero back, and all games should be at Twickenham.
I don't think Australia or South Africa will have looked at yesterday's games and be looking forward to playing Ireland, Wales or England this autumn.New Zealand won't be bothered either way, of course.
But I think that, on their day, any one of six teams can life the cup later this year.
Steve W
I was at Murrayfield on Sat and Anfield yesterday.....and I'm coming round to this way of thinking!! I usually take my 6 yr old to Anfield but not yesterday . He was with me on Saturday to cheer on the boys in green and he loved it!! He's mad on football but loved the whole rugby experience and is slowly getting into the game! At Anfield yesterday the bile and venom coming for the supporters is horrible....yes the atmosphere can be brilliant at football but the rugby is so conducive to a good day out for a family and everyone respects each other!
We had a great day in Edinburgh and we were very worried on the train home as we saw the England score keep going up!! What a great advert for the game! Well done to all teams!
I've got two games lined up so far for the World Cup ....can't wait!!
Saturday truly restored my faith in international rugby as a thrilling sport!
Just a shame that the World Cup will resort back to a safety first game...
Except - - - - there will be try bouns-points at stake, so there may be a bit more running rugby than you'd normally expect. This is the argument for BPs in the 6Nations. We all saw what happens when teams need to chase a total - there's a degree of throwing caution to the wind, or at least willing to risk taking a few chances ("Barbarian"-style). And that makes for exciting rugby.