| Foolish Error |
1 December 2003
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England's Rugby World Cup Glory
Dan Gledhill of the Independent newspaper called it "an achievement by an England sporting team unrivalled since that Wembley afternoon 37 years ago." He further noted that Martin Johnson had earned the rarest of titles for an Englishman, a World Cup winning captain. When the English (not British) rugby side disembarked from British Airways flight 106 last Tuesday, they came home as world champions. Moreover, they and their fans came home with a newly polished image of Englishmen abroad.
It has been said often and truly that rugby is a hooligans' game played by gentlemen and the soccer is a gentlemen's game played by hooligans. The Rugby World Cup proved that again so vividly that Richard Caborn, the UK Minister for Sport, felt the need to goad the soccer culture a bit with an eye to better behavior. His words say it better than any writer's paraphrasing could (American readers please note that the Minister uses the word "football" to mean "football" and not the game that the Miami Dolphins and Chicago Bears play on a Sunday.)
"You can win at international level - and rugby is a pretty tough game - with respect for your opponents, respect for officials and respect for other fans." The minister added, "You saw in Australia the way the fans mixed with each other and debated the sport they were watching. The appreciation of the sport is uppermost and not the rivalry of the teams. That's something that football can learn from. We are seeing now how far the game of football has drifted away from the basic elements of good sport - a good team, supporting the sport. There are many emotions in rugby but they are channeled in the right way and not into rivalry with other teams."
The Flag of St. George, white field with red cross, flew in Sydney for almost two months. In that time, it was not the flag of Little England and the National Front, nor of skinheaded thuggery that it all too often is at the soccer stadia in London, Manchester and Newcastle. It was the banner of what the rest of the world often thinks is the best in English culture -- fair play, team spirit, good sportsmanship. Indeed, it was a flag of which one could be proud.
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