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Ellis Genge hits back at 'sausages' in media after Murrayfield victory
Match winner Ellis Genge hit out at the critics and head coach Eddie Jones took a swipe at the Murrayfield crowd following England’s 13-6 victory over Scotland in the Guinness Six Nations.
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Genge scored the only try of a hard-fought contest played out in miserable conditions as England bounced back from their opening defeat to France and the hosts suffered a second straight defeat.
“We had a bump in the road last week and everyone was writing us off, saying we weren’t good enough, saying that our coach should be sacked and that the boys were a different team from the World Cup,” Genge told BBC Sport.
“It doesn’t sting but it’s classic isn’t it? You’ve got a lot of sausages saying things that just come to their head and what are they on about? We go out and win in Scotland away in the rain and now everyone’s singing our praises.
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WATCH: Ireland head coach Andy Farrell and captain Johnny Sexton press conference following their victory over Wales in the Six Nations at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin.
“It happens every week – you lose a game and suddenly you can’t play rugby any more. I hope we shut all the critics up and they watched that game,” concluded Genge.
Jones felt his side dominated the contest apart from a 15-minute spell early in the second half, but was unhappy that Owen Farrell was booed while lining up kicks.
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'How's the atmosphere in the changing room?'
Ellis Genge: *swig*#SCOvENG reaction: https://t.co/Nkx2R9VeAP#bbcrugby #SixNations #CalcuttaCup pic.twitter.com/lmLNZaneat
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) February 8, 2020
“That’s an old-fashioned Calcutta Cup game isn’t it?,” Jones said. “Swirling wind, heavy rains, aggressive crowd without much manners – you’ve got to be at your best to win.”
https://twitter.com/hashtag/GuinnessSixNations?src=hashtag_click
Asked what he meant by a lack of manners, Jones added: “I thought you were supposed to show kickers’ respect.”
Farrell himself was delighted with his side’s attitude, adding: “We’re happy with the performance more than anything.
“To come up here on a day like this, with a brilliant atmosphere like it was today, it made it tough for a game of rugby but I thought we stuck at it constantly for 80 minutes.
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PLAYER RATINGS@heagneyl rates the Irish players #IREvWAL #GuinnessSixNations https://t.co/iUtWamtrus
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 8, 2020
“It didn’t all go our way, we made it difficult for ourselves at times but our attitude was spot on I thought. We wanted to be better, we were very disappointed last weekend.”
Scotland captain Stuart Hogg was understandably disappointed to suffer a second-consecutive narrow defeat following the opening loss to Ireland.
“We’re gutted,” Hogg said. “We worked incredibly hard during the week to make sure we got to where we wanted to be and unfortunately we just came up short, but credit to England, they managed to control the ball and play in the right areas.
Did the Scots play with 14 as one player got a 1?? from ?? https://t.co/0MduXFnJX9
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 8, 2020
“We had opportunities, we just didn’t make the most of it, but we’ve just got to get on with it, can’t change anything. Same as last week, I’m proud of the boys’ efforts but these things happen.
“We’ve done some good things in the last couple of games but at the end of the day, we’re here to win Test matches and we’ve not managed to do that yet.
“We’ll get back to the drawing board on Monday morning and make sure we’re ready for a couple of weeks’ time.”
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– @rhigarthjones rates the Welsh players #IREvWAL #GuinnessSixNations https://t.co/9ECYxCWH62
— RugbyPass (@RugbyPass) February 8, 2020
Scotland head coach Townsend sought to take some positives from the performances of his side in their first two fixtures.
“It’s difficult because the players are putting a huge effort in and this is a game we always want to win for our nation,” Townsend told BBC Sport.
“But I said to the players last week that we played a team (Ireland) that had only lost once on their home ground in five years and we played a team today that was in the World Cup final and in both games we were in positions to win.
“So that shows the quality we have in our squad. Now we have to make sure when we get in those positions again, we do get the win and the rewards for our effort.”
Comments on RugbyPass
It couldn’t have been Ryan Crotty. He wasn’t selected in either World Cup side - they chose Money Bill instead. And Money Bill only cared about himself, and that manager he had, not the team.
25 Go to commentsYawn 🥱 nobody would give a hoot about this new trophy. End of the day we just have to beat Ireland and NZ this year then they can finally shut up 🤐
13 Go to commentsTalking bout Ryan Crotty? Heard Crotty say in a interview once that SBW doesen't care about the team . He went on to say that whenever they lost a big game, SBW would be happy as if nothing happened, according to him someone who cares would look down.. Personally I think Crotty is in the wrong, not for feeling gutted but for expecting others 2 be like him… I have been a bad loser forever as it matters so much to me but good on you SBW for being able to see the bigger picture….
25 Go to commentsThis sounds like a WWE idea so Americans can also get excited about rugby, RUGBY NEEDS A INTERNATIONAL CALENDER .. The rugby Championship and Six Nations can be held at same time, top 3 of six nations and top 3 of Rugby championship (6 nations should include Georgia AND another qualifying country while Fiji, Japan and Samoa/Tonga qualifier should make out 6 Southern teams).. Scrap June internationals and year end tours. Have a Elite top six Cup and the Bottom 6 in a secondary comp….
13 Go to commentsThe rugby championship would be even stronger with Fiji in it… I know it doesen’t fit the long term plans of NZ or Aus but you are robbing a whole nation of being able to see their best players play for Fiji…. Every second player in NZ and AUS teams has Fijian surnames… shame on you!!! World rugby won’t step in either as France and England has now also joined in…. I guess where money is involved it will always be the poor countries missing out….
77 Go to commentsNo surprise there. How hard can it be to pick a ball off the ground and chuck it to a mate? 😂
2 Go to commentsSometimes people just like a moan mate!
1 Go to commentsexcellent idea ! rugby needs this 💪
13 Go to comments9 Brumbies! What a joke! The best performing team in Oz! Ditch Skelton for Swain or Neville. Ryan Lonergan ahead of McDermott any day! Best selection bolter is Toole … amazing player
12 Go to commentsI like this, but ultimately rugby already has enough trophies. Trying to make more games “consequential" might prove to be a fools errand, although this is a less bad idea than some others. Minor quibble with the title of the article; it isn’t very meaningful to say the boks are the unofficial world champions when it would be functionally impossible for the Raeburn trophy not to be held by the world champions. There’s a period of a few months every 4 years when there is no “unofficial” world champion, and the Raeburn trophy is held by the actual world champions.
13 Go to commentsIts a great idea but one that I dont think will have a lot of traction. It will depend on the prestige that they each hold but if you can do that it would be great. When Japan beat the Boks (my team) I was absolutely devestated but I wont deny the great game they played that day. We were outclassed and it was one of the best games of rugby I have seen. Using an idea like this you might just give the the underdog teams more of an opportunity to beat the big teams and I can absolutely see it being a brilliant display of rugby. They beat us because they planned for that game. It was a great moment for Japan. This way we can remove the 4 year wait and give teams something to aim for outside of World Cup years.
13 Go to commentsHi, Dave here. Happy to answer questions 🥰
13 Go to commentsDon’t think that headline is accurate. It’s great to see Aus doing better but I’m not sure they’ve shown much threat to the top of the table. They shouldn’t be inflating wins against the lousy Highlanders and Crusaders either.
3 Go to commentsSuch a shame Roigard and Aumua picked up long term injuries, probably the two form players in the comp. Also, pretty sure Clarke Dermody isn’t their coach. Got it half right though.
3 Go to commentsOh the Aussie media, they never learn. At least Andrew Kellaway is like “Woah, yeah it’s great, but settle down there guys” having endured years of the Aussie media, fans, and often their players getting ahead of themselves only to fall flat on their faces. Have the “We'll win the Bledisloe for sure this year!” headlines started yet? It’s simple to see what’s going on. The Aussie teams are settled, they didn't lose any of their major players overseas. The Crusaders and Chiefs lost key experienced All Blacks, and Razor in the Crusaders case, and clearly neither are anywhere near as strong as last year (The Canes and Blues would probably be 3rd & 4th if they were). The Highlanders are annually average, even more so post-Aaron Smith and a big squad clean out. The two teams at the top? The two nz sides with largely the same settled roster as last year, except Ardie Savea for the Canes. They’ve both got far better coaches now too. If the Aussies are going to win the title, this is the year the kiwi sides will be weakest, so they better take their chance.
3 Go to commentsThe World Cup has to be the gold standard, line in the sand. 113 teams compete for what is the opportunity to make the pool stages, and then the knockout games for the trophy. The concept is sound. This must have been the rationale when the World Cup was created, surely? But I’m all for Looking forward and finding new ways for the SH to dominate the NH into the future. The autumn series needs a change up. Let’s start by having the NH teams come south every odd year for the Autumn/Spring series games?
13 Go to commentsWhat’ll happen when the AI models of the future go back in time and try to destroy the AI models of the past standing in their way of certain victory?
44 Go to commentsThanks, Nick. We (Seanny Maloney, Brett and I) just discussed Charlie as a potential Wallaby No 8, and wondered if he has truly realised how big he is in contact (and whether he can add 5 kg w/o slowing down). Your scouting report confirms our suspicions he has the materiel. No one knows if he has the mentality (as Johann van Graan said this week about CJ, Duane and Alfie B) to carry 10-15 times a game.
57 Go to commentsHe would be a great player for the Stormers, Dobbo should approach the guy.
3 Go to commentsGood article. A few years back when he was playing for the Cheetahs, he was a quiet standout for exactly the seasons stated here. I occasionally get to see his games in the UK, and he has become a more complete player and in many ways like an Irish player. His work ethic is so suitable to the Leinster game. I wonder if Rassie would have him listed somewhere.
3 Go to comments