Rugby World Cup: We All Hate England

Returning Aussie Rugby Union boss, John O'Neill, rolled out some tired old clichés today when asked about a possible England v Wallabies match-up in the quarter-finals. "It doesn't matter whether it's cricket, rugby union, rugby league - we all hate England," he said, "I would love to see Tonga knock off England but I suspect England will get through and we'll play them in Marseilles and that will be a real contest, with Jonny Wilkinson back in particular."

Scrumbag checked whether the 12th Man had actually got in front of a mike instead of O'Neill and given it a bit of Bill Lawrie, but apparently it was the tubby little marsupial himself. To be honest, it's not as subtle as a Warney sledge; poms would love to see something of the innovative spirit displayed between Rodney Marsh and Ian Botham.

When Botham walked out to take guard in an Ashes Test, Marsh welcomed him with "So, how are your wife and my kids?".

Botham replied: "The wife's fine, but the kids are retards."

Sheer class. We get the feeling that O'Neill's more at Glenn McGrath's level...