To highlight the difference between Rugby and Football (Soccer in Swords case) France have dropped thier No 8 Louis Picamoles from their squad for the next game because he disrespected the referee in the game against Wales......Fair play to Philip Saint Andre the France coach for making a stand and emphasising the point that the referee is there to be respected at all times..... If only football managers were so principled......
Another point to six nations respect, I was in Rome over the weekend, Saturday night in the city centre, a lot of bars had put up Scottish flags, locals wanting photo's with all the men in skirts and a very good atmosphere and to think the Scots pipped Italy in the last minutes, can you imagine if it was footy, I would not have gone in with my family
I was in Paris the same day and evening Scotland beat France in Paris in a Qualifyer for the Euros or World Cup - but in Football. There was a great atmosphere on the Metro before and after the game when blokes in kilts were playing the accordion etc and trying to collect money, and in the bars after the game. No sign of trouble at all.
Always been great camaraderie after an International rugby match at the drinking bars around Twickenham. The respect the huge rugby players show the diminutive refs, is the best bit. I think that is the tradition/rule, I would most like to see in football
5/6 Nations international weekends were always the social highlight of winter and in a way continue to be so, the only problem nowadays is that TV demands that games are played on a Friday, Saturday & Sunday, so it does impact on the social side a bit especially if the game is on a sunday and working on Monday.....
In the days when you could get a ticket for the old Five Nations you used to have picnics in the cark park at Twickers and drinks would be handed round inside the ground without ever a hint of trouble. Now it's become a bit too corporate and, like football, many of the real fans have been priced out. It's still light years ahead of football in most respects though and the refs are so in charge, any dissent is penalised ten metres which tends to concentrate the minds in the mayhem...
Now that is one rule that should be introduced into football, that would stop all these referring committees that teams have questioning every decision....
