Ellis Genge criticises class divide, talent ID system in English rugby
England prop Ellis Genge has revisited his country’s alleged rugby class divide, insisting that potential talent in deprived areas still don’t get the same opportunities to succeed in the sport due to a lack of finances. He also queried rugby’s talent identification, taking issue that it could miss out on a player such as Alex Dombrandt who only signed his professional contract at the age of 22.
Genge, who finished the recent Guinness Six Nations bang in form for Steve Borthwick’s England team, has appeared on this week’s Up Front with Simon Jordan, the William Hill podcast.
It was June 2019, in an interview with RugbyPass, when Genge bemoaned how rugby has got a class problem and that the infrastructure wasn’t there towards the lower end of the game to nurture younger talents who don’t have the same opportunities as those who go to private schools with access to the better facilities and coaches.
He has now reiterated these criticisms on Jordan’s podcast, suggesting: “Rugby union has definitely got a class problem. I have seen it first hand over the years from when I started going to trials.
“At a younger age, which kids miss out on becoming a professional rugby player is massively dependent on the class divide in the sport – and I’m strictly talking a financial divide here.
“If you are a nice enough bloke and you don’t cause any problems, you are going to get a chance. When talking about all the kit you need to buy, the hours you need to drive to go to all the schools and rugby festivals, ultimately, the private schools have the best facilities and the best coaches, they are going to produce better talent – and I get that.
“But, athletically and in terms of raw talent, I know where that is. The kids with raw talent and aggression are hungry to get out of where they are from, I know where that is and that is in those deprived areas. That’s what it all whittles down to – money.”
Genge, who hails from the Knowle West area of Bristol, managed to make it as a professional by joining his local team and switching to Leicester. He has since returned to play for his hometown Bears and remains outspoken about how potential players from rougher areas of England get treated differently.
“The sport has been quite openly on its a*** for a while now, especially in the financial department so if they haven’t got the money to build on the infrastructure and the resources at the bottom of the game, then it will be a challenge to overcome the divide.
“I don’t think we need to make a big song and dance about under-representation within the sport. I just think there should be equal opportunity at both ends of the spectrum, whether you have got a load of money to start with or f*** all, let’s look at both sides of the coin.
“It’s not about gearing everything towards these private schools to find the talent, it should be about going to the deprived areas as well and try and find talent there. That’s where you find the diamonds in the rough.”
Genge went on in his interview to compare the difference between rugby and football when it came to talent ID, referencing now some rugby players have to do it the hard way and only end up getting scouted in their early 20s having been to university.
“When I was growing up I felt it first hand. I don’t know if it’s like that anymore and I think the dynamic has changed as people have recognised it more. In football, for example, you see kids getting signed up at eight, nine and 10 years old because the talent and the infrastructure is grassroots and they know if there’s a good player.
“In rugby however, and I use Alex Dombrandt as an example, he signed his first professional contract when he finished university at 22 and he is one of the best number eights in the Premiership now. The pathways between the two sports are very different, the talent identification isn’t there in rugby.
“I don’t think the biggest talents in football had to go to university and get scouted there and do it the hard way. The infrastructure in rugby at the bottom of the game needs a lot of work and funding to do so.”
Comments on RugbyPass
Safas are so triggered by Ireland. 3 consecutive losses, incl RWC. 8 losses out of last 12 Tests. Always excuses, of course, with Bok fans. Now Rassie with his “88%” nonsense, the Claytons Excuse is an embarrassment to Bok teams of the past when every test mattered. Their fickle mojo will be on edge for the Ireland tour. Have the referees been appointed yet ? They will need security. Have WR laid out strict guidelines for TMO’s and replays on the stadium screens ? Will the constant stoppages from Bok forwards for cramps and bootlaces be tolerated ? We’re not talking a dominant Springbok team here, they won the LOTTO Cup and they know it whether they admit it or not. The Disney doco has their fans positively fermenting internally, its going to be a nasty hangover if they get beaten on home soil. What will the excuses be then……
69 Go to commentsGreat role model.
2 Go to commentsOne significant tell, not a single Waratahs player stopped to whinge to the ref about Finau’s tackle. They got on with playing the game. Great tackle.
8 Go to commentsWouldn’t be a bad move if Ireland pulled into SA with a young side. Particularly in Pretoria. Invaluable experience getting thumped in the bosveld.
69 Go to commentsIreland. The Princess Diana of Rugby. I never cheered so much for a team as i did for the All Blacks in that QF.
69 Go to commentsWill be great to see the Leinster first XV back in action again after their cotton wool time…
1 Go to commentsLooked up Grant Constable on google and reply was doppelgänger for Ben Smith
69 Go to commentsIt is so good that we now all get excited and debate who is best and emotionally get involved. We all back our teams which is great. Up until about 15-20 years ago, NZ was basically on its own, and then Saffa, Aussie and sometimes French and English were there. We now have at least 5-6 really top sides and another 4 who keep improving. This is so healthy. So we should not resort to rubbish comments and unhealthy debate, but rather all be chuffed that the product we watch is not competitive, exciting and often uncertain. It would be so good if World Rugger could find a way to align the rules to professional players as well as spectators. Live rugby games are SO boring as there is SO much down time as we wait for refs and TMOs and whoever else to look at every small event going back endless phases with the hope of eventually find a minute infringement to then decide cancel what was a wonderful try. This is the ultimate cork back in the bottle moment and feels like every balloon is always being popped. Come on- we must be better with the rules.
69 Go to comments“upon leaving said establishment I tripped over a stool knocking some bottles into the air and as I fell I accidently dislodged a police officer’s teaser who was passing by on an unrelated matter there by landing on said taser which caused it to discharge 50,000 watts into me. Out of shock I shouted Ireland are going to win the world cup. Upon waking up I apologised for the distress caused by my Ireland comment. The matter is closed. If you wish to pursue this matter may I remind you what I told Wayne Barnes when he sent me off. I AM A BIG ASS MAN”. Or was it “I AM A BIG ASS, MAN” or was it “I AM A BIG ASSMAN”?
2 Go to commentsThe only championship the Boks hold are: Great value for the incompetence of referees during the RWC Moaning endlessly and champions of spewing utterly ignorant 💩 at all times. Displaying the dangers of a third world education End of.
69 Go to commentsSouth Africa and Rassie do a phenomenal job of treating the 4 years in between World Cups as nothing more than a training exercise to build squad depth. The Six Nations money that keeps Irish rugby afloat is unfortunately too important to allow the same approach, and basic population size means we'll never get close to matching the depth of South Africa, England and France. That being said, Irish rugby is in a relatively good place and slowly improving inch by inch. If the other three provinces can pull the finger out and actually develop some players it'd be even better.
69 Go to commentsGood on Clarke for taking on the criticism and addressing his deficiencies, principally his laziness.
2 Go to comments“It is the people’s favourite against the actual favourite. It is the people’s champions against the actual champions. I’m joking, but it’s going to be a fantastic series.” Why did Darcy make that joke knowing it would be used as click bait? Why did RP headline it as a serious comment? Anyway, the tired comment isn’t very astute. SA players may have played more games etc. Darcy over estimated as a pundit.
69 Go to commentsNot sure Frisch will ever make the French team with Depoortère and Costes waiting in the wings to take over from Danty and Fickou.
1 Go to commentsThe Irish are tired and the Boks are old. The test series won't confirm who is best in the world, it will confirm which team needs to pursue the task of rebuilding with the most urgency.
69 Go to commentsGrant, the first time I have seen an article written by you. Maybe I have missed your previous stuff. These days all professional players effectively play a common season so all top players are equally tired, or rested. That is the job of the coaching ticket to build squad depth and juggle resources so players are ‘ fresh’ when the big games come. Possibly Ireland are less inclined to juggle squad compared to Rassie, who is prepared to take the risk to rest players as well as build depth throughout the year so come WC he has a full squad, experienced and rested enough to win 7 games. After all, to win WC you need to get through the tournament and then win the final big 3 games. Ireland should try and build a bit so come final 3 they are ready. So far only played final 1(QF). I am so looking forward to the Irish tour. Hopefully Rassie has enough time to align his guys, as he draws them from across the globe, and not from 2 sides locally( eg Leinster, Munster). No excuses, going to be exciting.
69 Go to commentsIn football, teams get fined and sometimes docked points for deliberately fielding weakened teams yet Leinster can pretty much do as they please with no comebacks. Could it be because Ireland run the URC? Could it be that Ireland run the ERC? Whichever it is, it stinks!!
6 Go to commentsIreland are only the People’s Champions in Irish eyes. The rest of the world do not care for them very much because of attitudes of people like Gordon, Ferris, Best, Jackman…I could go on!!
69 Go to commentsNot sure how Karl Dickson can ever ref a Quins game, he played for the club for 8 years as understudy to Care and is still close friends with half the team
3 Go to commentsAre bookies taking bets on how many times Vunipola's eventual statement will use the term “elders"? My money is on at least 4 times.
4 Go to comments