and they wonder why...

Two completely unrelated rugby stories for you today. First of all is the news that most of the English clubs have, grudgingly, taken England's hint and will be resting their England International players. All except Sale that is - Sale have pointed out that they pay the players' wages and if they want to play their biggest stars they will. Leicester and Newcastle have fallen into line and have announced that they will rest their England players . England Head coach, Brian Ashton, named the squad on Tuesday in an effort to get his players rested from club games at the weekend.

"What Brian would like, quite rightly, is the starting XV not to have to play," elite director Rob Andrew said... "It will mean (the players involved) won't do a great deal on Monday or Tuesday, will train Wednesday and go to Dublin on Thursday."

I have a certain amount of sympathy for all parties involved. The clubs have every right to feel like they are being subjected to emotional blackmail - who wants to be seen as hindering the National team; and the England coaches would be taking a huge risk watching their players take part in a competetive league match days before a vital Six Nations meeting.

Now leave all that aside as we move onto the completely unrelated second story. The English Premier Rugby League have issued a statement stopping Scottish players based in England from training with their countrymen this week.

Scotland coach Frank Hadden has hit out after three English-based players were prevented from joining his national squad training session... a PRL spokesman told BBC Sport: "Our position has been consistent for all unions for some time - players have to return to their clubs for the fallow weeks... "It is up to the clubs to select whoever they wish. The clubs will always look at each individual on a case-by-case basis."

The PRL surely have a point. They aren't in the game to help out the Scottish - this is all just a bit of goodhearted gamesmanship after all. They are perfectly within their rights... Or are they? Scotland head coach Frank Hadden obviously doesn't think so. With Scotland preparing for their next RBS Six Nations clash against Italy on Saturday 24 February, he is furious he has been deprived of three of his key players.

"The English clubs have been aware of our training days for a long time, but there was a three-line whip yesterday which caused the players to be told by their clubs that they couldn't train... We have been in discussion with the IRB and our understanding is that the IRB have been in touch with the RFU (English Rugby Football Union), and the RFU have contacted the clubs and said that they must comply with regulation nine, and they have chosen not to do so... The regulations say you have to give a fortnight's notice. We've given them two months' notice."

This sort of situation makes me sigh long and hard. The English seem to think that we should be understanding as they walk all over the rest of us to get what they want. In many ways they are like the 12 year old playground bully in for a bit of counselling who claims he doesn't need friends and then goes on to complain that no one likes him.

I suppose the point I'm trying to make is that in a few weeks time when England play France and the anglocentric British media start whining about how the celtic nations all want France to win and that we always support anyone but England I wish someone would look out these two articles again and let them read exactly why they have such a bad reputation. It isn't anyone but England we support - it's anyone less arrogant, petty and spiteful than England... oh, I suppose that would be anyone. I think English sport and their sporting media should take a moment and try a spot of introspection. A humbler more sporting country would be so much easier to like.