In England’s national sporting psyche there is a special place reserved for the gallant loser. At times it can feel a little schmaltzy, a touch indulgent. To be beaten but unbowed is a romantic notion though one that can also suggest a certain nobility when the cold, hard facts point to a definitive defeat.
Leaving a frazzled Twickenham late on Saturday night you could not help but wonder whether the heroic nature of such a defeat was overblown or if the plaudits heading England’s way were justified after resisting Ireland for so long with 14 men, before two late tries broke their spirit. Maybe Ellis Genge summed it up best when writing on social media: “Not a fan of the old brave losers vibe but I think circumstances probably warrant that.”
