Zebo blasts lack of action on racism by World Rugby

FORMER Ireland full-back Simon Zebo says he feels let down by World Rugby’s lack of action in response to Argentina captain Pablo Matera’s racist social media posts.

The Pumas skipper was briefly stood down by his home union after derogatory tweets he and team-mates Guido Petto and Santiago Socino wrote a number of years back resurfaced in the media, before being reinstated.

The game’s governing body initially did not comment on the affair, only issuing a statement welcoming Argentina Rugby’s investigation this week after being heavily criticised by former England and Lions winger Ugo Monye.

“It just shows you that it’s just ticking a box,” Zebo told RugbyPass’ The Offload podcast.

“They’re just keeping up with the trend. It’s not at the forefront of their mind, it’s not something that they’re trying their hardest to eradicate, clearly, if it’s taken them over two weeks to say something.

“What a moment for World Rugby to stamp a mark on the subject of racism and to be involved, put the arm around the shoulders of those people and players who are representing the sport, but they didn’t.

“They failed massively and it’s very disappointing.

“Like, the tweets were just… how can you write something like that? To even think about something like that and then put it into words? It’s one of the worst things you can do in terms of racism.

“But yeah, I’m just completely let down by the whole situation as a brown person playing the sport.”