It obviously is banter it's one of those after dinner speech type things isn't it? He is expecting welsh/irish people to be in the crowd (he actually says that).
Any way if he was actually english he would be eviscerated for that and have to resign. As per the un written rules of rugby he will probably get away with it.
Bit worrying that he thinks calling the Irish “scummy” is banter, though.
He asks if any Welsh are there when no one replies he then calls the country a shit little place. Again, pretty weird banter.
I agree, though, he’s trying to be funny but not really surprising that he didn’t get any laughs coz it’s not really funny. Weird.
The Ozzies aren't renowned for being PC (which I actually find quite refreshing). I suppose it's only to be expected that some off the cuff remarks in an after dinner speech (context is everything) should be lobbed on a few glowing ashes with a liberal dose of accelerant though. After all, if we can't get enraged about inconsequential bollocks, what else are we good at?
The Ozzie’s are also renowned for being pretty racist which is less refreshing. Did you find what he said refreshing or cringe? (I’m not trying to suggest he’s racist by the way)
Don’t get me wrong I’m not enraged, if you take the word Shit out of what he said about Wales it’s just a shit joke mocking our population but it’s still just a twatty thing to say context or no context, he’s the head coach of the English Rugby team.
Think the Irish comment is worse, though, tbh.
It's about context for me. I've heard a lot worse said about Brides and Grooms. It's naïve of him though to think that he can ever say anything inflammatory (even if it's tongue in cheek) in any public setting without somebody (in fact many people) storing it away in the memory banks for future reference. Sign of the times I'm afraid.
As @E17yid says it's just such a dumb thing to say when you know you're on film and you know the position you're in.
It was clearly just a joke trying to get a laugh out of the primarily English company he was in, but firstly it's not exactly that funny. At least mention sheep or drinking too much or something. But secondly (and more seriously) it's just not very pleasant.
Been a pretty shit six nations all round for England really.
Why drop Launchbury I wonder ...
Poor Underhill hasn’t recovered from that yellow it would seem.