Webbe: Bonkers to ban song
WALES’S first black international rugby union player has labelled the sport’s plans to outlaw English song ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’, over its links to slavery, as ‘PC gone bonkers’.
Reports surfaced last week that Rugby Football Union chiefs were looking into the appropriation of the song sung by England supporters, saying many of them are unaware of its origins as a song about slavery, and reviewing its context following the Black Lives Matter protests.
Prince Harry, who regularly attends England’s matches, is the latest big name to back the RFU id-19 pandemic, the WRU has sent out an initial framework to their member clubs on getting back out on the field next season.
In a circular sent out to clubs entitled the Community Game Progress Report, they said: “Welsh rugby is led by government guidelines and Public Health Board input at this time, and continually meeting with representatives of the working group we have agreed our staged progression to return to rugby.
“Returning to rugby may not align completely to clubhouses being open for business.
“The competitions management committee will review alternative competition scenarios for consideration of the Community Game Board.
“All current scenarios include staggered starts to the season being October, December and January 2021 and will need to cater for a potential second wave of the virus.
“We have postponed our player registration and transfer window until such time we can issue WRU operating manuals to all our clubs illustrating clearly how we return to rugby in line with government legislation.
“We have communicated our first update to clubs, players, coaches and referee in relation to how the current government guidelines can be applied to rugby training.” over reviewing the historical context over the song and a possible ban.
But former Wales wing Glenn Webbe, one of the game’s first iconic black players, has taken a differing view.
The Bridgend flyer, who made his name in Wales’s inaugural World Cup campaign in 1987, said on Twitter it was ‘insane’ to think about banning the song as racist.
“It will not stop English fans from singing it. What then? Accuse each fan of being a racist! PC gone bonkers,” he said. “I’ll decide what offends me. No need to be offended on my behalf.”