Johnny Wilkinson

[ATFC Seagull]

Whilst trawling for highlights from this weekends French rugby, I came accross this:

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Puts professional footballers to SHAME! Particularly when you think he only joined Toulon 3 months ago...

Also had a cracking kicking game and lasted a full 80 minutes...

 

[Cheeky Monkey]

It's not as though he learned to speak French in three months though is it? Agree though, nice to have a decent ambassador for Blighty abroad, rather than the usual Beckham trotting out a few stock Spanish phrases scenario.

 

[strings]

When the times asked him how he had managed to learn French so quickly he said that due to the amount of time he has been injured, he has had time on his hands to learn another language!

It is nice to see a British sportsman willing to learn the language, proving not all professional sportsmen/women are thick.

 

[Dick Knights Mumm]

............. including a shot of that git who spear-tackled Brian O'Driscoll.

Good man Johnny though.

 

[ATFC Seagull]

............. including a shot of that git who spear-tackled Brian O'Driscoll.

Good man Johnny though.

I can't believe Umaga has the brains to be a coach - think his presence is part of the money-throwing phase French rugby is going through at the moment!

 

[Silent Bob]

When the times asked him how he had managed to learn French so quickly he said that due to the amount of time he has been injured, he has had time on his hands to learn another language!

It is nice to see a British sportsman willing to learn the language, proving not all professional sportsmen/women are thick.

More likely learned at whatever public school mummy and daddy sent him too.

 

[Icy Gull]

More likely learned at whatever public school mummy and daddy sent him too.

If so that makes it so much less worthy..obviously

 

[itszamora]

Needs to work on his accent a bit

 

[SurreySeagulls]

I can't believe Umaga has the brains to be a coach - think his presence is part of the money-throwing phase French rugby is going through at the moment!

Just like our very own English Premier League!!!!! I mean poor old Ashley Cole couldn't get by on £60,000 a week at Arsenal.

 

[Silent Bob]

If so that makes it so much less worthy..obviously

Not at all, but not everyone had the same opportunity, that's all.

 

[DJ Leon]

Steve Mcmanaman spoke fluent Spanish at Madrid. They're not all thick!

 

[Icy Gull]

Not at all, but not everyone had the same opportunity, that's all.

Do they only teach French at public schools then?

 

[Bozza]

Doesn't this thread deserve the addition of Steve McLaren's example of speaking Dutch once again?

 

[papajaff]

Steve Mcmanaman spoke fluent Spanish at Madrid. They're not all thick!

Michael Robinson speaks fluent Spanish - Tony Woodcock speaks fluent German - Michael Kuipers speaks fluent Dutch............

I'm sure there are many more so why does this put footballers to shame?

And a good point about McClaren Bozza. Fluent in Dutch now.

 

[Jesus Gul]

What about that Harlequins player with the vial of fake blood?...

oh it's OK as rugby players call the ref sir whereas football players occasionally swear

 

[ATFC Seagull]

Obviously this has wound a few people up.

Maybe I'm completely wrong and well done to people for pointing out the exceptions, but I can't imagine/recall many British footballers being able to conduct such an interview so quickly into a time abroad, nor a lot of the foreign imports we have here.

It was meant as a thumbs up to Wilkinson specifically rather than a rugby vs football debate - due to the nature of the sport very few rugby players play in a country with a foreign language, so footballers was the obvious comparison.

As for the Harlequins cheating? I don't see your point - they've been caught and are in massive trouble - I can't imagine what Man Utd would have to do to get themselves kicked out of the Champions League. And footballers swear on the pitch more than "occasionally", and I think they could learn something from the way it works in rugby personally.

 

[CHAPPERS]

Michael Kuipers speaks fluent Dutch............

.

Wow!

 

[keaton]

What about that Harlequins player with the vial of fake blood?...

oh it's OK as rugby players call the ref sir whereas football players occasionally swear

1, What's that got to do with anything?

2, So Quins feigned injury. That's not a common occurence in football?

 

[ben andrews' girlfriend]

Michael Kuipers speaks fluent Dutch............

Surely fluent English?

 

[User removed 4]

Do they only teach French at public schools then?