Musings from the Merse
Sunday, September 30, 2007
AOBE
Watching the crushing of Wales by Fiji and the narrow escape from humiliating defeat by Scotland at the hands of Italy (It's about Rugby I am talking, Anxious of Ayton)I recall the tee shirts sold proudly in Souvenir shops in South Bridge Street, Embra, with the message 'Any One But England' at the time of the last Rugby World Cup. Not just a Scottish phenomenon -Irish Pubs are full of jeering punters egging on any side England are playing at any sport. What a bad time both nations had in 2003.And doubtless the Welsh are no different. Despite being about 25% Scottish myself via my Ulster Settler background I still find such petty and mindless anti-Englishness highly irritating. Mind you this built-in national inferiority complex is deep rooted and in the case of Scotland goes back well before Edward 1 and despite the Act of Union (perhaps indeed because of a nationalistic perception of it) and the dominance of Scottish people in so many parts of British life it is strongly evident today. It was, I think, Dr Johnston who described a well balanced Scot as a man with
a chip on both his shoulders.
Ireland play Argentina tonight to remain in the World Cup.
Should I watch it in The Cross? And should I shout at regular intervals
'Come on the Argies'?
I need to think about that one
Watching the crushing of Wales by Fiji and the narrow escape from humiliating defeat by Scotland at the hands of Italy (It's about Rugby I am talking, Anxious of Ayton)I recall the tee shirts sold proudly in Souvenir shops in South Bridge Street, Embra, with the message 'Any One But England' at the time of the last Rugby World Cup. Not just a Scottish phenomenon -Irish Pubs are full of jeering punters egging on any side England are playing at any sport. What a bad time both nations had in 2003.And doubtless the Welsh are no different. Despite being about 25% Scottish myself via my Ulster Settler background I still find such petty and mindless anti-Englishness highly irritating. Mind you this built-in national inferiority complex is deep rooted and in the case of Scotland goes back well before Edward 1 and despite the Act of Union (perhaps indeed because of a nationalistic perception of it) and the dominance of Scottish people in so many parts of British life it is strongly evident today. It was, I think, Dr Johnston who described a well balanced Scot as a man with
a chip on both his shoulders.
Ireland play Argentina tonight to remain in the World Cup.
Should I watch it in The Cross? And should I shout at regular intervals
'Come on the Argies'?
I need to think about that one
Labels: Rugby World Cup, Scotland
Comments:
Sadly, the Argies did rather well even in the absence of my encouragement thus keeping my lum at its normal langth
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