My favourite rugby anthems (2) and the most beautiful anthem of all (1)

BEST RUGBY ANTHEMS

 

https://youtu.be/mhCgcZ0efAA

 

 

https://youtu.be/88a2L9hoLIo

 

 

MOST BEAUTIFUL ANTHEM

 

https://youtu.be/qH2uuUY-6B4

 

 

 Jeez Chabal you really have bought into the Russian propaganda. Still it is a majestic piece of music. Here's a Russian knowledge test for you. Who is the artist whose painting is depicted at minute 1.09?

Ivan Aivazovsky...the greatest Marine Artist of all time.

No that would be Turner, but Ivan may be next.

There is far less anti American propaganda in Russia than anti Russian propaganda in the USA...have you been there...it's very beautiful in parts...the architecture is mind blowing...it staggered me on my first visit in 1999...Russians appear aloof and suspicious at first but once you get to know them and they trust you they make amazing friends...I love that country...I go there regularly but have never been to Siberia which we plan to do...across with Trans-Siberian express. We plan to come the other way from China (Beijing) to Moscow. We want to visit NZ first and then go in the same trip.

Most Westerners are totally clueless and ignorant of this great country...stupid people go on hearsay and believe the lies that our newpapers say...I know in America you have plenty of Russian ex-pats, especially Chicago but they are often not the true patriots.

Ewan MacGregor and Charlie Boorman did their thing in that movie documentary on BMW bikes...The Long Way Around...you can stream it on Vimeo or Daily Motion...
if nobody's seen it, it very entertaining with breathtaking scenery...something I would have loved to do but I'm too old now and besides could not afford it...they were sponsored.

What I love about Russia is their strength...the strongest characters I've ever met...they are extremely patriotic...never cry and take adversity...they'll never bend and are perhaps (ironically) the only Christian country left in the world.

I wish rugby would catch on there...it's extremely small...due to I believe way back in Stalins day...it was considered an Imperialist and Capitalist sport...and also because of it's harsh winter climate... but if it did (like USA if it did) then there would be few to take them on.

Sean Fitzpatrick on a visit and promotion there saw it, but at this stage it's unlikely because the conditions and mindset is only Ice Hockey and Soccer and Winter Sports...the IRB has not done enough here due to world feeling about Russia...it's unfair...I believe the fear people have of Russia is a figment of the imagination...in truth they are people that live and let live and don't like others interfering with their country...but heaven forbid those that do...they are proud and want to keep their identity...they despise globalisation. This is good, they keep their proud heritage.

Well Chabal I can't really comment, having never been to Russia....Helsinki is the closest I've been and those guys can put you under the table. But I love Russian literature and the great choral music. Parenthetically I have a painting supposedly by Aivazovsky, although there has been some debate about whether it's him or "school of".....the subject being a shipwreck at Mount Athos, which he certainly painted several times, as a kind of serial of the event. Your trip across Siberia sounds epic, I trust it's a summer time journey.

 Yes, I like the NZ and Scottish anthems but the Welsh one is good also
Welsh anthem

Italian anthem

But I've always been a sucker for a good brass band.

You have indeed always been a sucker.

 You must be a little worse for wear this morning Moz as the "grumpiness index" needle is registering in the red zone

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdG7pEgzV5Q
My favourite for 4 reasons
1) I was there2) We won against the All Blacks3) What you can't hear on the video was how loud the crowd were singing. The sound actually distorted on my cellphone at certain points in the anthem...like at a rock concert. 4) I like our anthem, the way it starts out as a hymn calm & relaxed, and then builds up to a crescendo at the end.

 My favourite is our own, I have a recording played at Twickers on my phone.
My second favourite is God Defend NZ....damn, it cracks me up everytime I hear it, specially when it's sung by Hayley Westenra
The Welsh and American are my other.

 The worst thing ever heard at a rugby ground is the boorish Hooray Henrys and Henriettas singing the opening stanzas of an old slave spiritual that they have co-opted .For reasons known to no one mind you they think it has some connection to them and the twats cant even get it together to sing the whole damn thing.I do like it when the ABs or for a decade there the Boks shu t them the fark up.