The Ashes: David Warner, wife Candice targeted in new Barmy Army chant

The Barmy Army has released a series of vulgar chants aimed at Australian cricketers, including David Warner. One song in particular makes reference to Warner and his wife Candice, about her infamous toilet tryst in a Sydney bar with rugby star Sonny Bill Williams.

The Barmy Army -- one of the most well-known groups of English supporters -- has come up with a new chant targeted at David Warner as the first Ashes Test between Australia and England got underway in Brisbane on Thursday. (AUS vs ENG SCORES)

David Warner and his wife Candice have been targeted in new Barmy Army chant unveiled at the Gabba. The Ashes 2017-18 got underway on Thursday.(Twitter)

The group that follows the England cricket team on their overseas tours, also joined by fellow English followers during matches, is a vocal bunch. They are best known for their innovative chants against their opposition, usually finding inspiration from popular songs and giving it a Barmy Army twist.

Their verbal battering of the opposition, especially the Australians is so vigorous, that it had even forced Mitchell Johnson to an Ashes meltdown in 2010/11. The group targets everything from a player’s past to their personal choices; even their relationships are not spared.

(Read | The Ashes: Absent Ben Stokes wishes England cricket team good luck)

Turning their gaze to David Warner this time, with an alteration of the song ‘We’ll Take The Urn Home’, the Barmy Army targeted Warner in one verse, making references to his ill-famed bar-run with Joe Root that saw him dropped by the Australian team.

The chant even refers to his alleged fling with his wife, Candice who was then reportedly engaged to rugby player Sonny Bill Williams in 2008. Warner married Candice in 2015.

The chant goes: “Davie Warner is over the hill

Came second to Sonny Bill

He’ll only pick a fight with men in a wig

When he opens his gob

We think he’s a knooooob

With Root our captain we’ll take the urn home”

(Read | Ashes 2017-18: Cometh the hour, cometh the captain)

The Barmy Army’s targeting of Warner is no coincidence. It was pre-planned and orchestrated in response to Warner’s jibes against Ben Stokes’ recent drunken altercation back home. Warner had further angered the English fans by comparing the Ashes series to a ‘war’.

Warner had reportedly even gone on to state that Joe Root and Jonathan Trott had ‘scared eyes’ when the two teams faced off in Gabba in 2013, naturally incurring the wrath of the Barmy Army.

Barmy Army co-founder Dave Peacock revealed the group’s plans to attack the opening batsman for his remarks.

“Warner will be public enemy No.1 this summer. His idiotic comments about going to war have only served to increase the level of animosity we have towards him,” Peacock was quoted as saying by News.com.au.