19 October 2007
There are many good reasons why we should back England tomorrow
By Matt Cooper
THE Irish attitude towards the English is going to be tested tomorrow evening. Our nearest neighbours go into the rugby World Cup final to play against a country with whom we have very limited links, yet some people — possibly a large number — may cheer for South Africa simply on the basis that they’d prefer to see anyone but England win.
How sad is that? Thankfully, that number is much smaller than it would have been once. Ireland has become far more accommodating to English people, as disclosed in the recent census that showed more than 160,000 British-born people have come to live here, many in the last decade. That figure does not disclose the breakdown between English, Scottish and Welsh, but given the population of Britain it is likely that the majority of these immigrants are English.
It isn’t necessarily the case either that they are of Irish descent. They are people who like Ireland and its people and the lifestyle it offers.
Yet how many English jerseys are you likely to see worn on the streets tomorrow and, more specifically, in the pubs? While replica jerseys of English soccer club teams are a common sight at all times, the English jersey is a rarity. As I’ve learnt from many text messages to my radio programme in recent days, since we raised the issue of anti-English racism here, English people often are too anxious or afraid to do so.
They claim to have suffered racist abuse, rather than good-humoured banter, in pubs in particular, for their choice of shirt. Some have feared for their physical safety. Others have felt insulted by the jeering of God Save the Queen in pubs or by the decision of publicans to turn the TV sound off while the British anthem is being played.
This may appear somewhat incongruous considering what happened in Croke Park last February when England came to play Ireland in rugby. There had been fears that the playing of the British national anthem would be met with a chorus of boos.
Nothing like it happened. The anthem was met with utter respect, a sign of a growing maturity in this country.
But while we praised ourselves for our behaviour that day, it should be acknowledged also how respectful the English were towards us and our history. They took the defeat at Croke Park with extreme grace, despite being on the receiving end of a 30-point thumping and not a little gloating by some sections of the crowd. They appreciated the significance of the occasion — not just the use of the GAA headquarters but the fact that the British army had killed many people there before this country won its independence — and embraced it. This generosity should have come as no surprise. In 1972, English rugby distinguished itself by doing Irish rugby a massive favour. That year the Irish rugby team overcame England and France in away internationals, leaving itself perfectly placed to win its first grand slam since 1948 (something that still has not been achieved). The Scottish and Welsh teams refused to travel because of fears for their safety at the height of the IRA bombing campaign. England, aware of the cowardice of that decision by our so-called Celtic cousins, sent a team instead. For that gesture alone, Irish rugby fans mindful of history should support England tomorrow evening.
Remember, too, that at that time it was English cities, rather than Scottish or Welsh ones, that were more vulnerable to cowardly IRA bombers, yet the vast majority of Irish people living in those cities suffered no retribution. This was generous indeed, given the vast numbers of Irish people who had emigrated to England because of our own economic failings, which were only partly to blame on the consequences of previous British rule.
BUT things have changed dramatically in recent years. The new relationship was emphasised by the Taoiseach’s address to the British parliament in May. Our self-confidence as a nation has risen dramatically, one of the upsides of the prosperity brought by the economic boom. There are massive cultural links, with many common tastes in media in particular.
Ironically, though, it is the British media which is often blamed for our distaste for the English. In particular, we apparently hate the way in which they laud their own triumphs, how they expect to overcome all “johnny foreigners” because of their own arrogant superiority and then turn on their own viciously if they fail.
But in what way is that different to us? We go absolutely mad whenever our national teams, or Irish citizens playing in individual sports, achieve success. We have our own exalted levels of expectation. And we are every bit as fast to castigate any failure to match expectations.
Some of the anti-English sentiment is being dressed in the guise of dismay at the style of rugby England has played in this World Cup, that somehow they are not deserving of being where they are because they are negative and destructive in the way they play. This is nonsense. Teams get to World Cup finals on merit. England have succeeded because they have played winning rugby and have shown strength of mind and character that was beyond Australia and France, whom they beat. Rugby is about far more than scoring spectacular tries after a succession of brilliant passes and off-loads.
If you want proof that winning is all that matters, then think of the most famous victory in Irish rugby history (before Munster’s 2006 Heineken Cup final triumph), the defeat of the New Zealand All-Blacks by Munster at Thomond Park in 1978.
Only 12,000 people were at that game and only limited highlights were shown on TV, but Alan English’s wonderful book, Stand Up and Fight, demonstrates exactly how Munster won that game.
It wasn’t through flowing, running rugby, but by attrition and extraordinarily brave and committed defence, typified by a legendary tackle executed by centre Séamus Dennison against superstar winger Stu Wilson. It was all about the personalities of a group of men who had not enjoyed the best of playing form in advance of the game of their lives. It was the type of spirit that England have demonstrated in this World Cup.
Tomorrow, England play a country that only recently (16 years is a short time) abandoned an apartheid regime that discriminated against the majority population on blatantly racist grounds. This despicable political system was symbolised more than anything else by its segregated rugby team. Although the wonderful Bryan Habana — top try-scorer in the competition — is black, other non-white players have been selected along quota lines, so slow has white South Africa been to accept newcomers to its favourite sport.
Notwithstanding the iconic moment of the 1995 final — when the incredibly generous Nelson Mandela wore a Springbok jersey in presenting the trophy to winning captain Francois Pineaar — would we really favour this country over England?
Maybe it is “near-neighbours syndrome” that affects Irish attitudes towards the English, much as the Scottish and Welsh may also begrudge the English any success tomorrow. But if Ireland were playing South Africa in this final, I have no doubt as to which side the vast majority of English people would be supporting.
Matt Cooper presents The Last Word on Today FM, Monday to Friday, 4.30pm to 7pm and will present TV3’s live coverage of tomorrow’s Rugby World Cup final, starting at 7.30pm.
There are many good reasons why we should back England tomorrow
By Matt Cooper
THE Irish attitude towards the English is going to be tested tomorrow evening. Our nearest neighbours go into the rugby World Cup final to play against a country with whom we have very limited links, yet some people — possibly a large number — may cheer for South Africa simply on the basis that they’d prefer to see anyone but England win.
How sad is that? Thankfully, that number is much smaller than it would have been once. Ireland has become far more accommodating to English people, as disclosed in the recent census that showed more than 160,000 British-born people have come to live here, many in the last decade. That figure does not disclose the breakdown between English, Scottish and Welsh, but given the population of Britain it is likely that the majority of these immigrants are English.
It isn’t necessarily the case either that they are of Irish descent. They are people who like Ireland and its people and the lifestyle it offers.
Yet how many English jerseys are you likely to see worn on the streets tomorrow and, more specifically, in the pubs? While replica jerseys of English soccer club teams are a common sight at all times, the English jersey is a rarity. As I’ve learnt from many text messages to my radio programme in recent days, since we raised the issue of anti-English racism here, English people often are too anxious or afraid to do so.
They claim to have suffered racist abuse, rather than good-humoured banter, in pubs in particular, for their choice of shirt. Some have feared for their physical safety. Others have felt insulted by the jeering of God Save the Queen in pubs or by the decision of publicans to turn the TV sound off while the British anthem is being played.
This may appear somewhat incongruous considering what happened in Croke Park last February when England came to play Ireland in rugby. There had been fears that the playing of the British national anthem would be met with a chorus of boos.
Nothing like it happened. The anthem was met with utter respect, a sign of a growing maturity in this country.
But while we praised ourselves for our behaviour that day, it should be acknowledged also how respectful the English were towards us and our history. They took the defeat at Croke Park with extreme grace, despite being on the receiving end of a 30-point thumping and not a little gloating by some sections of the crowd. They appreciated the significance of the occasion — not just the use of the GAA headquarters but the fact that the British army had killed many people there before this country won its independence — and embraced it. This generosity should have come as no surprise. In 1972, English rugby distinguished itself by doing Irish rugby a massive favour. That year the Irish rugby team overcame England and France in away internationals, leaving itself perfectly placed to win its first grand slam since 1948 (something that still has not been achieved). The Scottish and Welsh teams refused to travel because of fears for their safety at the height of the IRA bombing campaign. England, aware of the cowardice of that decision by our so-called Celtic cousins, sent a team instead. For that gesture alone, Irish rugby fans mindful of history should support England tomorrow evening.
Remember, too, that at that time it was English cities, rather than Scottish or Welsh ones, that were more vulnerable to cowardly IRA bombers, yet the vast majority of Irish people living in those cities suffered no retribution. This was generous indeed, given the vast numbers of Irish people who had emigrated to England because of our own economic failings, which were only partly to blame on the consequences of previous British rule.
BUT things have changed dramatically in recent years. The new relationship was emphasised by the Taoiseach’s address to the British parliament in May. Our self-confidence as a nation has risen dramatically, one of the upsides of the prosperity brought by the economic boom. There are massive cultural links, with many common tastes in media in particular.
Ironically, though, it is the British media which is often blamed for our distaste for the English. In particular, we apparently hate the way in which they laud their own triumphs, how they expect to overcome all “johnny foreigners” because of their own arrogant superiority and then turn on their own viciously if they fail.
But in what way is that different to us? We go absolutely mad whenever our national teams, or Irish citizens playing in individual sports, achieve success. We have our own exalted levels of expectation. And we are every bit as fast to castigate any failure to match expectations.
Some of the anti-English sentiment is being dressed in the guise of dismay at the style of rugby England has played in this World Cup, that somehow they are not deserving of being where they are because they are negative and destructive in the way they play. This is nonsense. Teams get to World Cup finals on merit. England have succeeded because they have played winning rugby and have shown strength of mind and character that was beyond Australia and France, whom they beat. Rugby is about far more than scoring spectacular tries after a succession of brilliant passes and off-loads.
If you want proof that winning is all that matters, then think of the most famous victory in Irish rugby history (before Munster’s 2006 Heineken Cup final triumph), the defeat of the New Zealand All-Blacks by Munster at Thomond Park in 1978.
Only 12,000 people were at that game and only limited highlights were shown on TV, but Alan English’s wonderful book, Stand Up and Fight, demonstrates exactly how Munster won that game.
It wasn’t through flowing, running rugby, but by attrition and extraordinarily brave and committed defence, typified by a legendary tackle executed by centre Séamus Dennison against superstar winger Stu Wilson. It was all about the personalities of a group of men who had not enjoyed the best of playing form in advance of the game of their lives. It was the type of spirit that England have demonstrated in this World Cup.
Tomorrow, England play a country that only recently (16 years is a short time) abandoned an apartheid regime that discriminated against the majority population on blatantly racist grounds. This despicable political system was symbolised more than anything else by its segregated rugby team. Although the wonderful Bryan Habana — top try-scorer in the competition — is black, other non-white players have been selected along quota lines, so slow has white South Africa been to accept newcomers to its favourite sport.
Notwithstanding the iconic moment of the 1995 final — when the incredibly generous Nelson Mandela wore a Springbok jersey in presenting the trophy to winning captain Francois Pineaar — would we really favour this country over England?
Maybe it is “near-neighbours syndrome” that affects Irish attitudes towards the English, much as the Scottish and Welsh may also begrudge the English any success tomorrow. But if Ireland were playing South Africa in this final, I have no doubt as to which side the vast majority of English people would be supporting.
Matt Cooper presents The Last Word on Today FM, Monday to Friday, 4.30pm to 7pm and will present TV3’s live coverage of tomorrow’s Rugby World Cup final, starting at 7.30pm.
