English need to be allowed to show the same passion as the Welsh says Lawrence Dallaglio
Former English rugby captain Lawrence Dallaglio has said that the English need to be allowed to show the same passion in their national identity as the people of Wales.
But he said that when he got “wound up” and challenged Wales on the rugby pitch with the same patriotism that they were showing, it was “viewed differently” coming from an Englishman.
Speaking on GB News, Lawrence Dallaglio said that despite being half Irish and half Italian he had embraced his Englishness and called for others to do the same.
“English people – perhaps not these days but definitely when I was growing up – tended to be very conservative,” he said.
“They don’t like to have these outward displays of emotion, maybe in the same way as some of the other countrymen.
“I see the passion that Scottish people have about being Scottish, Irish people have about being Irish, and certainly Welsh people have about being Welsh. So why not England? Why are we not allowed to feel passionate and patriotic about our country?
“Now that doesn’t mean that we over celebrate or that we celebrate in a way that offends anyone. But I don’t want anyone pointing the finger at English people when they want to display their patriotism.”
‘Ever-changing’
Lawrence Dallaglio however said that any modern English identity needed to be inclusive of anyone who wanted to be part of it, whatever their background.
“You will have noticed that when I sang the national anthem, God Save the Queen, I sung it with an enormous amount of pride because it meant a lot to me. And I wasn’t afraid to wear my heart on my sleeve and have that emotion.
“But equally, I think we have to acknowledge that we’re in an ever-changing world. And you need to celebrate difference as well. There is nothing wrong with being English, but being different. And I think never has that been more apparent than in the modern world.
“But listen I’m as patriotic as ever. I used to get a bit wound up when we were playing Scotland and Wales. They were getting passionate and it would be patriotism, but as soon as you came back with something as an Englishman then it’s viewed in a slightly different way.
Lawrence Dallaglio previously called in 2010 for St. George’s Day to be celebrated with more gousto in England.
“So many other Bank Holidays and national days are marked in this country and not necessarily the one we should be celebrating,” he said..
“St George’s Day has been associated with jingoism and politics, which it should not be. That doesn’t happen in any of the Celtic countries. I have never had a problem celebrating my Englishness, on and off the pitch.”
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Because English / British patriotism goes hand in hand with domination and hatred of other countries. Look at their behaviour during the euros this summer, you can’t just change that small minded self racism overnight. They will never change, it’s too ingrained in their psyche, their politics and their education system. They will never be like us.
“They will never change, it’s too ingrained in their psyche, their politics and their education system. They will never be like us.” That’s a pretty xenophobic statement. We’d be outraged in the English said something like that about us. It’s also a generalisation about 50m+ people, and surely isn’t remotely true for many of them. The idea that English national identity goes hand in hand with racism and domination may be true for some, and may have been true in the past, but it doesn’t have to be. Peoples and nations can and do change. Why shouldn’t the English be… Read more »
I wouldn’t because I don’t want us to be anything like them you massive Anglo snowflake. England hasn’t changed one bit since I have been alive and their attitude towards everyone else still stems from their stinking imperialism.Try and tell me their shitty attitude for others doesn’t stem from their politics, media and education system. Because it does and it isn’t going to change anytime soon seeing as they have voted in the Tories and English Labour is run by a tory wannabe.
I’m no more Anglo than you are, bud. I’m not a hate-filled bigot, either. You seem very certain that you know exactly what all 50m+ English are like, and that they all conform to your ignorant stereotype.
Being xenophobic might get your comments a few up-votes on this website, but it doesn’t make your narrow-minded hatred of the English any less ridiculous.
Diolch.
“English identity needed to be inclusive of anyone who wanted to be part of it, whatever their background.”
Seems like he knows the reason why English nationalism is a problem. It tends to slip over into racism very quickly.
No problem with English nationalism. Only a minority are hooligans.
But can we stop this Anglo this and that now, please? We have our own agenda!
You have no problem with the English nationalism that has degraded and stolen from our country for the past 800 years?
Jump gun. English nationalism in Their country. You okay now?
Who is stopping them?
Themselves, perhaps?
Lorenzo ought to know. He could have opted to play for the other parts of his heritage – Italy- who know a thing or to about their own identity, although I was not aware that he also had Irish heritage. He would have lasted even longer in an Italian shirt although he would have surrendered the 8 shirt and moved sideways to make room for a young Mr Parisse ! He makes a fair point but can’t explain why the Anglo identity morphs into a supremacist shape so easily. Yet he talks of singing GSTQ which I think is the… Read more »
I have so many English friends and even family who find the miss use of their flag 🏴 and national pride disturbing. The capture by those with political and even xenophobic views of their symbols of nationhood is so sad. I was on a train up to Carlisle via Warrington and saw the mass of England flags in back gardens along the way – with the occasional very sad slogan – which rightfully upset some of the passengers – genuine passionate and proud decent English folk. We must never in Wales allow the division so obvious in some of the… Read more »
Sorry Laurence. The English will never be as passionate as the Welsh. It’s in our native DNA.
See our patriotism laments what we’ve lost, where England based on what you’ve taken. Please read the lyrics of ‘Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau’ , then read ‘God Save The Queen’ and compare both. It will inform you why Welsh patriotism is good and English bad.