I've been watching the Commonwealth Games and noticed that when England have won gold Jerusalem has been sung when the athletes receive their medals on the podium, not God Save the Queen. Personally, I'm not a fan of God Save the Queen, but I love Jerusalem. I'dmuch prefer if RL internationals, involving GB or England, were opened with the singing of Jerusalem, Abide with Me or Land of Hope and Glory. I think these songs are much more stirring and instils much more pride and patriotism than the drab pledge of allegiance to someone most don'treally care about.

What's everyone elses thoughts?

I would go with Land of Hope and Glory - always been the English anthem for me

The RFL asked which anthem/hymn fans would like to have as the officiall anthem of the England national team in a survey around about two years ago. I voted for Jerusalem, but obviously the majority went for God save the queen as that's what we're still lumbered with.

Don't believe in god, don't see the point of the queen.
Jerusalem, please.

Jerusalem is a tremendous anthem.

Land of Hope and Glory helped visibly lift GB in 1990.

They should stick with 'God save the Queen'

William Blake implied when he wrote 'Jerusalem' that a visit of Jesus would briefly create heaven in England.

From what I've seen of this country I think he was lying.

Congratulations on getting through more than 5 minutes of the Comm Games also...

This from the man who comes from a country of men who get drunk and aggresive off a couple of weak, tasteless beers and insist on living in the world's largest sandpit with a vast selection of world's most poisonous creatures?

Womens hockey, my man, womens hockey.

Been some good cycling today as well. A shock result in an awesome Keirin final.

A highly articulate outburst sir.



For an RLFans member

I do concede I become a little bit of an expert on womens beach volleyball come Olympic time.

*Waits for the thread to get locked and suitable advice given about an 'other sports' forum*

There is no sand in Leeds is there?

I dont know why the teams didnt walk out to Land of Hope and Glory at Elland Road in last years final, THAT would have created an atmosphere

Try the Headingley pitch Feb - May.

Doubt it would have stopped King Billy scoring yet ANOTHER hat trick of tries against England though

couldnt agree more, first test at Wembley in 1990 showed how fired up it got the team, and knocked the ockers off their stride when the two teams came out with it being belted out by the fans.

I take it that you don't understand what Jerusalem is then?

It is the first hymn sung at the beginning of a church service, which is in praise of God in whose presence everyone has assembled.

Betts must have nearly cried as I recall.

You dont believe in God, but you would prefer Jerusalem which includes the line
"And was the holy Lamb of God, On England’s pleasant pastures seen" ?

id go with land of hope and glory.
although our international rugby league has been starved of both

But be honest.. without looking it up.. how many people know all the words to 'land of hope and glory'?


"[iLand of hope and gloryyy

mother of the freeeee

la la la la laaa laaaaa

LA LA LA LA LA LAAAAAAAAAAAAA"[/i


It wont work

Your's never works

"Sun ariiiiiise

Bringing in the morninnnnnngggngnngngnnngggnnngggnng"

With a lot of "nnnnnngggggggnnnnnngngnnngggnngngngggnng" noises and clinking empty tinnies together for the rest of the song. Worse noise than a football match in South Africa!

At least if we use God Save the Queen it will remind the Aussies that she is still their Head of State and they are essentially just a subsidiary of the UK to which we used to send our criminals and from which we now get cheap bar labour

Every cloud and all that!

Please not that bloody wimmins institute anthem.

Cannot abide Jeruselam, not a royalist, land of hope and glory too twee, why not sing Hey Jude!

You know more than me






Talking of anthems, the national anthem of Australia is a bit stupid, really.

"Our home is girt by sea".

girt=encircle, surrounded.

Now, correct me if i'm wrong, but isn't that pretty much the definition of Land? the bit that isn't sea?