Dealing with Rugby’s racism problem

Leicester Tigers and England prop Ellis Genge

Image: The RFU Collection via Getty Images

The killing of unarmed 46-year-old George Floyd on May 25 sent an urgent wake up call to the rest of the world. While flashpoints like this case have happened in the past, such as the protests in response to Eric Garner’s death in 2014, the ripple effects have perhaps been more profound. 

What started in Minnesota quickly spread to the UK and beyond. Statues of slave traders have been pulled down and protests have been seen across the world with a number of sporting voices putting their weight behind the cause. 

It has forced sports to examine if their response to racism has been good enough and what they need to do next to eradicate it. Rugby is not immune from this and an examination is needed on what it is getting wrong, and right, and how things can change.

Issues at grassroots

The prevailing narrative is that rugby does not have the same issues with racism that other sports, mainly football, have. While incidents at the professional level are rare, but still do happen, it appears the area which is struggling most is the grassroots level of the game. 

In January of this year a Welsh rugby game in League 3 East Central C match between Llanrumney and Trefil was called to a halt when players from Llanrumney alleged their centre Wayne Dacruz had been racially abused. 

Encouragingly, the response was swift. Dacruz’s teammates immediately walked off the field in protest, Gwent-based club Trefil immediately suspended the player involved in the incident and the WRU launched a full investigation into the matter.

More recently police investigated “unacceptable” remarks made to Pontarddulais RFC player George Mbofana after he was racially abused by other club members on social media. 

"My mother has been part of that community for Bont, taking me to rugby down there all my life - she broke down crying," he told BBC Wales.

"How can these people that she thinks she can trust as my friends - these are my friends, I've grown up with them - she's saying 'how can these people be so negative towards you?'.

"With time, it will change, I hope,” he added. 

It appears the lower ends of the game is where rugby’s racism issue starts. Clubs no matter how small need to treat instances of racism like a top professional club would and need to be brave enough to hand out bans and suspensions to their players if necessary.

Such strong actions across the grassroots level would send the clearest possible message that racism in all levels of rugby is unacceptable.

Professionals speak out

While rugby players have been keen to point out issues with racism, it appeared a breakthrough moment to see a number of stars from the professional game speaking out directly in favour of the Black Lives Matter movement. 

Ellis Genge was not afraid to speak his mind on protestors tearing down the statue of slave trader Edwards Colston in his home city of Bristol, saying the action was “warranted.”

Speaking to 5 Live on the subject, Genge raised the point of rugby being a “white man’s game”, with the lack of high-profile black coaches in the sport affecting participation of kids like himself who grew up in council estates mainly idolising footballers. 

Newport-Gwent Dragons winger Ashton Hewitt has also been fearless in speaking out, with his social media presence constantly drawing attention to the Black Lives Matter movement, and speaking on national television on how racism affected him when playing rugby as a child.  

Ashton Hewitt speaks to ITV Wales on June 10

“I’ve experienced it from a very young age, where I’ve had to go home and explain what I’ve been called to my mother. I’ve had abuse from children and unfortunately some instances with parents, as bad as monkey chants,” Hewitt told ITV Wales recently. 

“You just sort of normalise it at that age where you think you can beat it and fight everyone who’s calling you this or that but then comes a time when it does become normal and you start accepting it,” he added. 

Governing bodies now need to stand with players willing to speak out and give them their full support, even if they cop flack from unsavoury sections of society. Hopefully, it could lead to some white players also giving their support if similar protests happen again in the future.

What can be done?

When you look at the shape of rugby teams in the past decade there is no doubt progress had been made. Over two decades after South Africa’s first black President Nelson Mandela handed over the Webb Ellis trophy to Francois Pienaar, Siya Kolisi lifted the same trophy as South Africa's first black captain in a squad which reflected its nation’s diversity.

In 2003 England had just one BAME player in its squad in Jason Robinson. Eleven were included in the 23 man squad which travelled to Japan in 2019. At the same World Cup Michael Leitch, Kotaro Matsushima and Koo Ji-Won also helped redefined traditional Japanese identity during their nation’s journey to the quarter-finals. 

This is not to say work is over. Rugby has a racism issue, no doubt, and there are still many barriers for those from diverse backgrounds to enter the sport which, as Genge correctly points out, still has a reputation as a sport for the white middle and upper classes. 

Representation in coaching is particularly egregious for instance. With only two BAME coaches in Europe’s top three divisions a look at American sport’s Rooney rule is perhaps needed.  

Rugby has a chance to be the benchmark for tackling and eradicating racism within sports. It must first overcome its own problems, and give its players of colour and their allies the voice to speak out and make a difference.