Talking Sport: If you are rolling about, you’re not hurt

It would be nice to think that some of the superstars set to appear in football’s World Cup took note of the boxing at Wembley.
Trevor WatsonTrevor Watson
Trevor Watson

George Groves was flattened by Carl Froch and lay with his legs badly twisted. The point about it was that he didn’t move.

One thing is certain during the footie fiesta, when players go down supposedly injured or even ‘knocked out’, they will, as usual, roll about. Most people when they hurt a leg, are told to keep still. Footballers writhe.

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Clearly these pampered individuals, brought up at professional clubs often from when they were about seven, have never gone down on an amateur pitch and heard a cynical voice from the touchline grunting: ‘Gerrup...thar nooan ‘urt.’

It was effective because after hearing that you daren’t stay down, no matter the pain.

In the Warrington versus Leeds Rhinos game, Warrington’s Ben Currie produced a thunderous tackle on Kylie Leuluai. Currie was badly shaken and, although he said he was fine and played on for a further 20 minutes, he eventually went off and the doctor said he couldn’t return.

At one time Currie would have had a splash of the ‘magic sponge’ and been shoved back. You wonder about the long-term effects of that kind of thing.

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The same applied to cricket. If a fast bowler connected in a tender spot - let’s face it they’re all tender - the word was: ‘Don’t let him know you’re hurt.’ How?

One thing about Groves he had no choice, he was out. One puzzle about the 80,000 crowd for this fight.

What was the point of buying tickets for the top tier, the boxers would have looked like spiders from that height.

England’s football heroes, fresh from a 3-0 win over Peru, proudly boasting a rating of 43rd in the world, flew to Miami for more World Cup preparation, and no doubt the honour of meeting ‘Sir’ David Beckham, who is forming a club there. With his brass he could have bought Leeds.

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Apparently Roy Hodgson has urged the players to sing the National Anthem before their matches.

Normally the majority stand mute, unlike rugby union players.

It also means somebody having to teach them the words - and tune.

Good to see Nat Lawrence still doing his stuff at Hanging Heaton cricket.

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Nat, who was there before WG Grace grew his beard, marked out the batting and bowling creases between innings, while son David looked on and did nowt.

Nat then found time to carefully put salt on Lesley Bailey’s chips.

By the way, crafty Peter Byrne turned out as a sub fielder for Heaton seconds the other week and took a catch but kept quiet about it, completely against the rules of our bet that he’ll play 12 matches despite being ‘retired’.

That’s definitely being reported to Lord’s.