Intemperate remarks

It is disappointing to read the fatuous pre-Twickenham remarks made by Messrs Ferris and Kearney.

These utterances are the type of hyped-up ramais usually associated with boxing and wrestling.

Does rugby have to plumb such depths? What has prompted these intemperate statements? Surely it is not part of a war of words designed by sponsors and broadcasters to drum up more viewers for TV?