RugbyRebels

Sandydragon wrote: ↑Fri Jul 18, 2025 7:21 am I wouldn’t be this pissed off of Van Der Flier had got the nod. Curry seems like an odd choice given recent form.

I doubt that Farrell will have to regret his decision because the Australians are so bad.

Mike Boardman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:22 am @TucoRamirez
While I'm not Owen Farrell's biggest fan, I'd like to say that the title of your thread is pretty much the reason the guy felt under so much stress - and the fallout from that was affecting his family too - that he quit his "job". It's exactly why social media generally is a lamentable development.

bruce wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:31 am wrong Farrell dude

bruce wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:31 am wrong Farrell dude

Mike Boardman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:22 am @TucoRamirez
While I'm not Owen Farrell's biggest fan, I'd like to say that the title of your thread is pretty much the reason the guy felt under so much stress - and the fallout from that was affecting his family too - that he quit his "job". It's exactly why social media generally is a lamentable development.

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 10:03 am

Mike Boardman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:22 am @TucoRamirez
While I'm not Owen Farrell's biggest fan, I'd like to say that the title of your thread is pretty much the reason the guy felt under so much stress - and the fallout from that was affecting his family too - that he quit his "job". It's exactly why social media generally is a lamentable development.

Swings the other way too, farrell goes around smashing people in the head and behaves like a cunt on the pitch, that's him, he gets a pass from the press and judiciary because of who he is. People are entitled to call bullshit imo, just because he lives in a bubble and can't hack it when he's called out is tough shit, just like he said when he's smashing people about the head

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 11:16 pm

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 10:03 am

Mike Boardman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:22 am @TucoRamirez
While I'm not Owen Farrell's biggest fan, I'd like to say that the title of your thread is pretty much the reason the guy felt under so much stress - and the fallout from that was affecting his family too - that he quit his "job". It's exactly why social media generally is a lamentable development.

Swings the other way too, farrell goes around smashing people in the head and behaves like a cunt on the pitch, that's him, he gets a pass from the press and judiciary because of who he is. People are entitled to call bullshit imo, just because he lives in a bubble and can't hack it when he's called out is tough shit, just like he said when he's smashing people about the head

He’s definitely got carried away and put in some cheap shots before, but I’m not sure about that take. “Smashing people in the head” feels slightly disingenuous when we’re talking about a game built around aggressive tackling. It’s bad/overzealous technique, not like he’s losing it and lamping folk.

There’s no question that his competitiveness is OTT at times, but I thought the whole “knock lumps out of each-other on the field and then have a beer after” thing was a pretty foundational sentiment in the game - as cringe as it is to write those words.

I think all that is quite separate from the media, disciplinary, nepotism stuff, over which he has no control. That seemed to be the foundation of crowds turning on him, and the stuff that prompted him to take a break. I’ve wanted him dropped from the starting side for years but I thought that was all a bit sad the way it played out.

“Cant hack it when he’s called out” seems incredibly uncharitable, and I think slightly missing the point of what he was objecting to.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Mon Jul 21, 2025 11:16 pm

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 10:03 am

Mike Boardman wrote: ↑Sat Jul 19, 2025 9:22 am @TucoRamirez
While I'm not Owen Farrell's biggest fan, I'd like to say that the title of your thread is pretty much the reason the guy felt under so much stress - and the fallout from that was affecting his family too - that he quit his "job". It's exactly why social media generally is a lamentable development.

Swings the other way too, farrell goes around smashing people in the head and behaves like a cunt on the pitch, that's him, he gets a pass from the press and judiciary because of who he is. People are entitled to call bullshit imo, just because he lives in a bubble and can't hack it when he's called out is tough shit, just like he said when he's smashing people about the head

He’s definitely got carried away and put in some cheap shots before, but I’m not sure about that take. “Smashing people in the head” feels slightly disingenuous when we’re talking about a game built around aggressive tackling. It’s bad/overzealous technique, not like he’s losing it and lamping folk.

There’s no question that his competitiveness is OTT at times, but I thought the whole “knock lumps out of each-other on the field and then have a beer after” thing was a pretty foundational sentiment in the game - as cringe as it is to write those words.

I think all that is quite separate from the media, disciplinary, nepotism stuff, over which he has no control. That seemed to be the foundation of crowds turning on him, and the stuff that prompted him to take a break. I’ve wanted him dropped from the starting side for years but I thought that was all a bit sad the way it played out.

“Cant hack it when he’s called out” seems incredibly uncharitable, and I think slightly missing the point of what he was objecting to.

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Jul 22, 2025 11:13 pm I guess I’m drawing a distinction between “tackling guys high deliberately” meaning he’s always looking out for the man-and-ball league style big hit, staying on his feet and allowing others to deal with it, and actually going around trying to injure people or hit them in the head.

I think it’s much more the former, and it still wasn’t a good look, but again being the media darling and getting off light isn’t really on him.

Him getting an extra lenient ban going in to the World Cup seemed to be the big spark for a lot of people turning on him. I don’t know how clear it is whether it was really England fans booing him or not, but it’s pretty pathetic and certainly feeds in to the notion of Twickenham being full of wankers that don’t really care about the game.

It seems the scale of online abuse was just as far out of proportion as most other discussion around him tends to be. It sounds like it got very personal and affected his family. Categorising that as him not being able to hack it just doesn’t feel fair.

Again, I’m not really a fan in general. His aggression and physicality is a blessing and a curse, and he wasn’t very good at striking the balance, but I don’t put him in the same category as people like Bakkies Botha who just seemed to enjoy hurting people.

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 7:49 am

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Jul 22, 2025 11:13 pm I guess I’m drawing a distinction between “tackling guys high deliberately” meaning he’s always looking out for the man-and-ball league style big hit, staying on his feet and allowing others to deal with it, and actually going around trying to injure people or hit them in the head.

I think it’s much more the former, and it still wasn’t a good look, but again being the media darling and getting off light isn’t really on him.

Him getting an extra lenient ban going in to the World Cup seemed to be the big spark for a lot of people turning on him. I don’t know how clear it is whether it was really England fans booing him or not, but it’s pretty pathetic and certainly feeds in to the notion of Twickenham being full of wankers that don’t really care about the game.

It seems the scale of online abuse was just as far out of proportion as most other discussion around him tends to be. It sounds like it got very personal and affected his family. Categorising that as him not being able to hack it just doesn’t feel fair.

Again, I’m not really a fan in general. His aggression and physicality is a blessing and a curse, and he wasn’t very good at striking the balance, but I don’t put him in the same category as people like Bakkies Botha who just seemed to enjoy hurting people.

My recollection was that his behaviour was worse than you describe and that he revelled in hurting people

Abuse of family etc is clearly not acceptable

Oakboy wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 8:19 am It's many years since I posted amything praising Owen Farrell. However, he is reported in the press as having been heard geeing up the players with words like "you shouldn't leave it to a 21 year-old to motivate you."

So, both old and new did a full 80 and were flat-out verbally and physically for it.

Two things piss me off about that, though. Farrell gets 7/10 and is on most pundits bench for the 2nd test. Meanwhile nobody notices Pollock's leadership and whole-field contribution. He gets 5/10 and probably won't wear the red shirt again.

It's not OF's fault, of course, but if he is the mentality guru that the professionals claim, you'd think the same people would notice his comments about Pollock. Also, it does not say hell of a lot about the attitude of the other thirteen on the field at any time.

Puja wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 7:57 am

paddy no 11 wrote: ↑Wed Jul 23, 2025 7:49 am

Mikey Brown wrote: ↑Tue Jul 22, 2025 11:13 pm I guess I’m drawing a distinction between “tackling guys high deliberately” meaning he’s always looking out for the man-and-ball league style big hit, staying on his feet and allowing others to deal with it, and actually going around trying to injure people or hit them in the head.

I think it’s much more the former, and it still wasn’t a good look, but again being the media darling and getting off light isn’t really on him.

Him getting an extra lenient ban going in to the World Cup seemed to be the big spark for a lot of people turning on him. I don’t know how clear it is whether it was really England fans booing him or not, but it’s pretty pathetic and certainly feeds in to the notion of Twickenham being full of wankers that don’t really care about the game.

It seems the scale of online abuse was just as far out of proportion as most other discussion around him tends to be. It sounds like it got very personal and affected his family. Categorising that as him not being able to hack it just doesn’t feel fair.

Again, I’m not really a fan in general. His aggression and physicality is a blessing and a curse, and he wasn’t very good at striking the balance, but I don’t put him in the same category as people like Bakkies Botha who just seemed to enjoy hurting people.

My recollection was that his behaviour was worse than you describe and that he revelled in hurting people

Abuse of family etc is clearly not acceptable

I'm no great fan of his, but I think you're misremembering that - there's never been anything of him deliberately seeking to injure people or revelling in hurting someone. He's just clumsy and incompetent.

Puja