Team GB

Having watch Team GB bundle their way to a draw last night in the Olympic football a thought struck me, wouldn’t it be great to have a Team GB in the rugby union world, every four years we could form a team and take on the worlds bests SH teams in a test match series.

What do you guys think?

Bored HERSH?

It would just be the Welsh side with Rennie and Gray in there wouldn't it?

Aren't you forgetting the best winger in the world?

Mr Ashton please stand up.

Well I suppose you'd need someone in there to sing the anthem....

That's a great idea, it could have a heroic name like the 'British Leopards'! Think there is definitely mileage in this one Hersh!

Yes rodders, a real Diva. Stick with tradition

To be honest I think they would fail to competing!

But at least you could repetedly use the ready excuses about "trying to bring together diverse and proud nations" implying that "political selections" get in the way of winning.

And imagine the hoo-ha every four years when they try to pick a coach! And imagine if they ended up with a SH coach twice in ten years! The scandal!

That's a great idea, it could have a heroic name like the 'British Leopards'! Think there is definitely mileage in this one Hersh!.

Big problem with the Leopard idea is that the 'Three Lions' on the English soccer teams badge and the badge of the English (and Welsh) cricket team is in fact - in herldic terms - Leopards.

As a general rule, English heralds tend to identify lions as rampant (upright, in profile facing dexter), and leopards as passant guardant (walking, head turned to full face),

And - GB - is that the political term or the georaphical term? - we don't want those pesky folks from the likes of the Isle of Man and the Isle of White being all pedantic and such.

So in effect what we could have (as a cover all but abbreviated title) would be

"The passant guardant quadruped carnivore from those Islands off the North West shore of Europe (but not Iceland or the Faroes) Rugby Union Football team.

Yeah, might work.

OF course - what strip would they play in?

Red = Wales
White = England
Blue = Scotland
Green = Ireland

so they would have to either have a Quins type combo of the above - or better still, play in faux leopard skin furry romber suits. Now I'd pay money to watch THAT.



Especially in the mud (the womens team of course).

Brilliant!

Is the 7's next olympics...going to be seperate nations or will it have to be great Britain?

It'll have to be GB I think. Can't have separate teams as the Olympics do not acknowledge Wales or Scotland or England as separate countries

ChequeredJersey wrote:It'll have to be GB I think. Can't have separate teams as the Olympics do not acknowledge Wales or Scotland or England as separate countries

Next Olymics they may have no choice but to accept Scotland as an individual nations, depending on how their voting goes.

Won't the Scottish flag have to change?

Surely it will have to have a little union jack in the top corner like Aus Nz etc...???

Well, there is that. I think this time around Scotland will still be in the UK personally, but not sure how much longer it will be. Every Scot I've spoken to about separation either don't care or want to stay, so I'm not sure how representative of their people the likes of the SNP are

TrailApe wrote:

That's a great idea, it could have a heroic name like the 'British Leopards'! Think there is definitely mileage in this one Hersh!.

Big problem with the Leopard idea is that the 'Three Lions' on the English soccer teams badge and the badge of the English (and Welsh) cricket team is in fact - in herldic terms - Leopards.

As a general rule, English heralds tend to identify lions as rampant (upright, in profile facing dexter), and leopards as passant guardant (walking, head turned to full face),

And - GB - is that the political term or the georaphical term? - we don't want those pesky folks from the likes of the Isle of Man and the Isle of White being all pedantic and such.

So in effect what we could have (as a cover all but abbreviated title) would be

"The passant guardant quadruped carnivore from those Islands off the North West shore of Europe (but not Iceland or the Faroes) Rugby Union Football team.

Yeah, might work.

OF course - what strip would they play in?

Red = Wales
White = England
Blue = Scotland
Green = Ireland

so they would have to either have a Quins type combo of the above - or better still, play in faux leopard skin furry romber suits. Now I'd pay money to watch THAT.



Especially in the mud (the womens team of course).

Why did you include ireland in that? Ireland would have nothing to with that team as we have our own olympic team and are not apart of GB

God, do you know everyone had forgotten that Ireland was a separate and proud nation. Thank you for that mirth killing reminder though.

Good point, LF4L, this did seem like a completely serious thread.

I think there may be some difficulty with the scheduling of such tours though Hersh and also would we have to include Argentina now?

Also could the constituent members of such a team EVER establish a consensus on who should be in it? It just sounds like an excuse for a lot of threads pouring out on these boards riddled with partisan views and inciting xenophobia.... and we don't want that now do we....?

So the idea is dead in the water already?

That’s disappointing

Not dead yet but the patient is convulsing. And we haven't even got to the actual playing side of things yet.

Chjw131 wrote:God, do you know everyone had forgotten that Ireland was a separate and proud nation. Thank you for that mirth killing reminder though.

Actually some people do think we are still part of GB. I was talking to a south african lad recently and he started make fun of ireland cause he thought we were still apart of GB.

Ireland has never been part of GB! Part of the UK once upon a time for about 100 years, but never GB.

Why did you include ireland in that? Ireland would have nothing to with that team as we have our own olympic team and are not apart of GB.

I was just thinking of the colour clash thats all.

honest.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

TrailApe wrote:

That's a great idea, it could have a heroic name like the 'British Leopards'! Think there is definitely mileage in this one Hersh!.

Big problem with the Leopard idea is that the 'Three Lions' on the English soccer teams badge and the badge of the English (and Welsh) cricket team is in fact - in herldic terms - Leopards.

As a general rule, English heralds tend to identify lions as rampant (upright, in profile facing dexter), and leopards as passant guardant (walking, head turned to full face),

And - GB - is that the political term or the georaphical term? - we don't want those pesky folks from the likes of the Isle of Man and the Isle of White being all pedantic and such.

So in effect what we could have (as a cover all but abbreviated title) would be

"The passant guardant quadruped carnivore from those Islands off the North West shore of Europe (but not Iceland or the Faroes) Rugby Union Football team.

Yeah, might work.

OF course - what strip would they play in?

Red = Wales
White = England
Blue = Scotland
Green = Ireland

so they would have to either have a Quins type combo of the above - or better still, play in faux leopard skin furry romber suits. Now I'd pay money to watch THAT.



Especially in the mud (the womens team of course).

Why did you include ireland in that? Ireland would have nothing to with that team as we have our own olympic team and are not apart of GB

Buzz Killington is in the room.

Carpe Diem wrote:

Buzz Killington is in the room.

He seems to be on the Pulpit at the moment.

LeinsterFan4life wrote:

Chjw131 wrote:God, do you know everyone had forgotten that Ireland was a separate and proud nation. Thank you for that mirth killing reminder though.

Actually some people do think we are still part of GB. I was talking to a south african lad recently and he started make fun of ireland cause he thought we were still apart of GB.

I would refer yourself and the South African lad to Chequered's post above if I were you.

TrailApe wrote:

Why did you include ireland in that? Ireland would have nothing to with that team as we have our own olympic team and are not apart of GB.

I was just thinking of the colour clash thats all.

honest.

Yes all that Green in there might affect the jersey somewhat. Also the dietary requirements may be a little over-influenced with a solitary food stuff.

Sorry for upsetting everyone. Dont know why i said that as i realise now how stupid that was. Im going to go try get that comment removed. Gosh im an idiot

There is a difference between UK and GB? Can someone explaining this whole situation to me. I don't get it at all.

ChequeredJersey wrote:Ireland has never been part of GB! Part of the UK once upon a time for about 100 years, but never GB.

Well if we are getting pedantic then I would like to point out that it is actually team GB & NI therefore NI based players would be illegible.

However as rugby is administered on an all Ireland basis and for the sake of controversy I would like to request, on behalf of the IRFU, Ulster Branch and Irish rugby generally, that Irish players are not considered for selection on this thread. Thanks.

anotherworldofpain wrote:There is a difference between UK and GB? Can someone explaining this whole situation to me. I don't get it at all.

The UK is "the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland" - Britain is the island encompassing England, Scotland and Wales. I think they added the "Great" part to differentiate themselves from Little Britain (Brittany)

NI citizens have the right o play for either country but when the time comes since the IRFU are an all Ireland nation I would imagine our Ulster Brethern opt for the Irish team ( I think we are called Ireland as opposed to the Republic of Ireland too). Sometihng similar may happen with the Golf as it is also an island organisation.

rodders wrote:

ChequeredJersey wrote:Ireland has never been part of GB! Part of the UK once upon a time for about 100 years, but never GB.

Well if we are getting pedantic then I would like to point out that it is actually team GB & NI therefore NI based players would be illegible.

However as rugby is administered on an all Ireland basis and for the sake of controversy I would like to request, on behalf of the IRFU, Ulster Branch and Irish rugby generally, that Irish players are not considered for selection on this thread. Thanks.

Thanks for that notice Rodders. Being pedantic though, surely if the Northern Irish players were illegible no one would be able to see them?

BOOM!

Thomond wrote:NI citizens have the right o play for either country but when the time comes since the IRFU are an all Ireland nation I would imagine our Ulster Brethern opt for the Irish team ( I think we are called Ireland as opposed to the Republic of Ireland too). Sometihng similar may happen with the Golf as it is also an island organisation.

Didnt mcilroy already say he wanted to play for GB in the 2016 olympics? Maybe i heard wrong.

If Golf in the Olympics next time up?

It happens in most sports Thomond, for example Paddy Barnes is representing Ireland in boxing. Athletics, Hockey etc. too.

NI athletes have a choice of who they represent. As all the Rugby players are employed by the IRFU, directly or indirectly, then I don't see there being anything to debate. Its not a new thing. Nothing to see here.

Chjw131 wrote:Thanks for that notice Rodders. Being pedantic though, surely if the Northern Irish players were illegible no one would be able to see them?

He may have L4L, it's a long way away anyway I would be disappointed if he does, we compete as Irealnd at the Olympics and he is Irish, Golf Ireland see him as so.

It's fine, South African cricketers and rugby players get a choice in whom they represent too...

Fail

Thomond wrote:He may have L4L, it's a long way away anyway I would be disappointed if he does, we compete as Irealnd at the Olympics and he is Irish, Golf Ireland see him as so.

You wouldnt think that when your watching sky sports. Whenever he is near the top of the leaderboard the commentators call him british.

That's Sky Sports, any thing with a legitimate claim to being theirs is theirs. Andy Murray is British when winning and Scottish when not and all that jazz.

Hey, according to this article I'm reading on Golf at the 2016 Olympics, the top 15 players get in regardless of Nationality, then after that each country is only allowed 2 representatives. How does that work? Seems ludicrously unfair given that the entire field will end up being American

1 Luke Donald, Eng
2 Tiger Woods, USA
3 Rory McIlroy, Nir
4 Lee Westwood, Eng
5 Webb Simpson, USA
6 Adam Scott, Aus
7 Bubba Watson, USA
8 Jason Dufner, USA
9 Matt Kuchar, USA
10 Justin Rose, Eng


Only 5 out of 10 are yanks.

8 Americans in the top 15 as of now I think. 10 in the top 20, will be a bit unreal. I suppose most countries with serious hopes of winning it have guys in the top 50/100. Ireland with Harrington and one of McDowell, McIlroy,Clarke and maybe Lowry (GMAC and Rory could be in the top 15 by then but long way away). Italians could have Manassero in top 15 and have to choose betwen the Molinaris. Edouardo would probably be better.

The whole Andy Murray thing really did rather get my goat I must say. Good luck to the man he's an excellent player, but he sees himself as Scottish and fair play.

All these people/media jumping on the Andy Murray 'British' bandwagon made me feel rather sad. It smacked of desperation. I was shouting 'Come on Tim' in the final but no one seemed to take any notice. As per usual....

Why isnt golf in this olympics?