Former Scotland coach Jim Telfer has described England as being arrogant and Wales as 'lazy' ahead of the start of the Six Nations.
Telfer coached Scotland to a Grand Slam in 1984 and was part of the coaching set-up for the country's 1990 success, along with coaching the Lions forwards on their successful tour of South Africa in 1997.
With the Calcutta Cup looming this weekend, Telfer has stoked the fires by labelling England as "too arrogant, pretentious and condescending" ahead of this weekend's clash at Twickenham.
"England are not as good as they think they are," said Telfer to the Daily Mail.
"They were really up for it against New Zealand, very physical against a tired team. If they had played another five times, the All Blacks would have won them all. You have to retain perspective.
"In their favour is the coaching team of Stuart Lancaster, Graham Rowntree and Andy Farrell. All from the North and all down to earth. They will not let that victory go to their heads.
"The players are a different matter, people like Chris Ashton, Danny Care, Ben Youngs and Manu Tuilagi. They are young, very impressionable and they think what they read is all true.
"There is the makings of a good squad, but it is not good at the moment. Like the English football team, a couple of wins and they think they are world-beaters.
"Unless they are careful they will end up playing in a very English way. The way Saracens play. Pretty boring. The Northampton way. Boring. It is all about forward domination, and the irony is that England have some bloody good backs."
As for Wales, held nothing back when describing the 2012 Grand Slam champions.
"Wales is not an easy country to coach because, basically, the Welsh are lazy," added Telfer.
"Coaching them, playing against and with them, I realised they had reached the top because they were the cream and had not necessarily worked all that hard to get there. Wales do produce very good rugby players."
Comments
APV1 says...
@ jonesy2 - you are a nob and no-one is going to bite. There's a rock at the bottom of the Pacific with your name on it - go back under it please.
Posted 12:07 07th February 2013
jonesy2 says...
he is spot on, obviously. if england think they are anything more than a team of ok players who have to concentrate hard to do the most basic of things eg pass the ball to a teammate then they are kidding themselves. 12 year olds in fiji have better natural skills and talent. well said telfer. the standard of rugby in the UK in general is hugely concerning with out of all the six nations games so far the italy-france one was of the highest standard easily. ireland were decent also
Posted 05:05 07th February 2013
LondonWasp says...
its very nice when some one like Telfer insulsts england, and then England beat said team.... it is worth the insults.....
Posted 19:09 02nd February 2013
three6three6 says...
What Jim Telfer has said regarding England might be valid in a general historical sense BUT I do not see it being particularly relevant to this playing group. Yes such comments may apply to England supporters.... but none of the players will be thinking that they have a right to win against the Auld Enemy at Twickenham (even if Scotland has not won since 1983 at Twickenham). Jim Telfer is just stirring things up.....
His suggestions that Wales are lazy will ONLY fire up Wales.... which is great news... let us see them defend their title! Do not forget the miracle that Jim Telfer performed with the Lions forward pack in 1997 when they were hopelessly outguned by the BOKKE...
Posted 07:33 01st February 2013
Honestpom says...
I did not listen to the actual broadcast and i would imagine its been taken a little bit out of context. Jim obviously must be a true Scots fan but he has not made their task any easier. I can remember seeing him pin up headlines by the South African press to motivate the '97 Lions forwards which is exactly what Lancaster and Rowntree could do with this to get the forwards even more motivated.
Posted 08:02 31st January 2013
jehosophat says...
The headlines on this looked bad but now I read the full quote it seems fine really - hopefully it will give the boys in white some motivation (if any were needed). Such comments always backfire.
I would be more aggrieved if I were Welsh! Saying the whole nation is lazy is a bit much,
Posted 16:28 30th January 2013
rugby_rockstar says...
To be serious for a moment, I feel it was ill judged if Jim hoped to motivate Scotland by annoying England. I think Jon Jeffreys will be shifting uncomfortably in his armchair as he recalls his similar coments in 2002 / 2003 and what effect it had on the england team. Feel free to change Jeffrey's name with that of Warren Gatland, Jonathan Davies, Eddie Jones, Totai Kefu, Imanol Harinordinoquy, Brad Johnston and of course good ol' Andrew Merhtens (who came up with an absolute corker!!!) to name but a few.
You may as well poke a bee hive with a stick and expect to come out on top.
Posted 16:11 30th January 2013
cliffguy says...
Well, Telfer has certainly stirred things up - which is precisely what he intended to do! he was always a bit of a wind-up merchant, and personally, I think it adds to the fun. And there is a grain of truth in these comments, isn't there, just a grain? Arrogance and over-confidence is exactly what Lancaster has been careful to counteract since he took over. And the Welsh lazy? The current crop certainly are not, they're very professional; but back in Telfer's day, I think there was a tendency just to rely on natural talent (of which there was admittedly a superabundance) and not attempt to work to improve still further - as a New Zealander or S African might do. In essence, I think Telfer was just trying to give a bit of edge to his under-pressure national side in their thankless task of trying to rescue a result of some sort at twickenham.
Posted 11:48 30th January 2013
Waz4before says...
and while we're on this subject - I lived in South Queensferry for 6 years and played locally and can say the Scottish people are just wonderful and most of the time these type of comments are tung-in-cheek and designed to wind us english up. It becomes a bit wearing after a time (6 years) but we english really should avoid over-reacting !!
Posted 01:31 30th January 2013
Waz4before says...
@ Isograford - I think england are due in NZ for a 3 test series soon after the Lions tour. And yes, even England supporters know what the likely outcome will be - can't really see what point you're trying to make? what, because we beat the best team in the world once we think we will do it every time, err, actually no we don't ...?
The problem with Telfers comments is they are sooooooooo tired and predictable, almost as bad as claiming this scotland side would become "legends" in Scottish sport if they achieve a win -- hopefully Lancaster keeps the team focused, keeps the improvements happening on and off the pitch and behaves in a far more appropriate manor than Telford in this article!
Posted 01:14 30th January 2013
ABlack says...
Thats what i love about the Brits in Rugger, they self distruct before the kickoff happens. Whether its coaches, former coaches, the UK media( worst offenders especially the English media who are driven to sell copy) and SOME of the players they all seem to get so far ahead of themselves as to their true abilities.Telfer is pointing out just a few of those idiosyncratic tendencies in the Brit rugger mindset.
Posted 00:46 30th January 2013
RugbyNut says...
Shame, Telfer was one of the great coaches of his generation. He now appears to be just a windbag! I'd rather hear from him regarding how Scotland are going to get out of their dire slump.
@Isograford, get over it! The AB lost in a good game of rugby. England aren't crowing about it, why is every Kiwi always banging on about it!
Posted 22:21 29th January 2013
jamesliveinhope says...
@isogradford blimey the autumn result has really got to you hasn't it - perhaps look at some world cup videos.
Posted 22:18 29th January 2013
trelawney says...
The reason why the England team are being said to be arrogant is the fault of the press/media. You should all know, by now, that the media can turn things around by distorting the comments/sayings of former (has been) coaches etc. Did Jim Telfer actually say those comments - I doubt it?
@isograford - who is being arrogant now?
Posted 22:13 29th January 2013
shoobydo says...
@Isograford
Mate get over it - it's just one defeat and you're still world number one.
Why not show a little class?
Heaven forbid what you'd be like if you supported Scotland.
Posted 21:31 29th January 2013
ArmchairGeneral says...
gotta love it. The aulde enemy. Jim, Aren't all Scott's Pictish rapists? Except for the women... sometimes?
@Londonwasp: it's the only chance to sell them. Ever.
Posted 20:38 29th January 2013
Isograford says...
Yeah, i dare England to leave the bosom of Twickers and come to NZ to play a 3 test series against a team that isn't at the end of a long year with insane amounts of travel and probably sick as well.
We all know why they rarely do that, and we all know the series result.
Posted 18:08 29th January 2013
pierredelot1 says...
Are he's a canny old devil is Jim, but just trying to wind the English up. This England Squad although not perfect is far from arrogant. Sadly thats usually a bunch of spectators who are still trying to work out what shape the ball is. Watch out Jim, Lancasters a borderer he'll be over there nicking your sheep next.
Posted 18:06 29th January 2013
heart_of_oak says...
Well well well, another 'England are arrogant' comment, to go with Eddy Jones's one not so long ago and many many others before that.
And since when are the Welsh lazy ? It reads like Telfer brands the entire Welsh nation in this way. How many of them does he know ?
How novel. How informative. How useful. How instructive.
And how boring.
There are many non English posters on here for whom I've got alot of time - Connaughtabu usually has good objective things to say. If this is Telfer's considered opinion then I won't waste time reading anything else attributed to him.
Posted 17:43 29th January 2013
Spartacus says...
Telfer is a legend! Good to see someone getting passionate about rugby, rather than the usual PR approved nonsense.
Posted 16:25 29th January 2013