Why, why, why? Rugby chiefs slap ban on Delilah

IT’S the iconic terrace anthem beloved by legions of Welsh rugby supporters.

But now fans are crying ‘Bye bye bye, Delilah!’ after rugby bosses banned choirs from belting out the Tom Jones hit before games.

Tom, 82, has said the 1968 song – about a lover stabbing his unfaithful partner – should not be taken literally and its popularity makes him ‘proud to be Welsh’. But the Welsh Rugby Union – currently in the midst of a crisis due to claims of a ‘toxic’ culture of sexist, racist and homophobic bullying – yesterday announced Delilah will now not be played by bands at Cardiff’s Principality Stadium, nor sung by choirs during the upcoming Six Nations.

The song includes the lyric: ‘She stood there laughing. I felt the knife in my hand and she laughed no more.’

Bosses are said to have been spooked by a video this week of the Guernsey Welsh male-voice choir rehearsing it ahead of the clash with England on February 25. Wales will also be playing against Ireland, this Saturday at 2.15pm in Cardiff.

The campaign to ban the song has been led by Welsh Labour MP Chris Bryant, who said: ‘When there are big international rugby matches on, and sometimes football matches as well, the number of domestic violence incidents rises dramatically. I know that some people will say, “Oh, here we go, he’s a terrible spoilsport”, but the truth is that that song is about the murder of a prostitute.’

However, the ban was ridiculed online, and Sylvan Whittingham, who co-wrote the lyrics, said: ‘The reason there is more domestic violence after rugby matches is because men have been drinking, wives complain about it, and then they get bashed. Don’t blame Delilah for all this – blame beer. There is no evidence anywhere that she [Delilah] is a prostitute.’

Singer Tom did not respond to requests for comment last night.