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How England are approaching Saturday's Rugby United Against Racism message

By Online Editors
(Photo by Andy Rain - Pool/Getty Images)

Billy Vunipola has explained that England players will choose individually how they wish to mark the Black Lives Matter movement before Saturday’s Guinness Six Nations clash with Italy.

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The title match in Rome is England’s first opportunity to show solidarity at Test level for the cause following a seven-month interruption to international rugby because of the coronavirus pandemic.

Before the anthems at the Stadio Olimpico, Six Nations organisers have scheduled time for a moment’s silence during which teams are able to demonstrate their support for a Rugby United Against Racism message. This first happened last weekend when the Six Nations restarted with Ireland vs Italy in Dublin.

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Billy Vunipola guests on The Lockdown

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Billy Vunipola guests on The Lockdown

Eddie Jones’ squad have been in camp for the past three weeks and their stance on the issue would have been clear at Twickenham last Sunday, only for their annual fixture against the Barbarians to be cancelled.

Vunipola, the Saracens and England No8, revealed that each player is to choose how or if they wish to recognise BLM. “We talked about it the first week we got in and we broached the matter before we were going to play the Barbarians,” he said.

“Like anything in life, it’s a personal choice and the leaders made that clear. They made everyone in the room comfortable with what they wanted to do to mark it and we need to respect each others’ opinions, different or the same. That’s where we’ve left it. You’ll probably see that Saturday. It has been an ongoing discussion, not just a one-off.”

When the 2019/20 Premiership season restarted in mid-August, Vunipola declined to take a knee because of his opposition to elements of the movement’s protests. The back row of Tongan heritage remained standing before Saracens’ restart defeat at Bristol while his elder brother Mako knelt.

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Speaking about that decision the following week, Vunipola told The Good, The Bad & The Rugby podcast: “What I saw in terms of that movement was not aligned with what I believe in. They were burning churches and Bibles. I can’t support that. Even though I am a person of colour, I’m still more a person of, I guess, Jesus.”

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Bull Shark 51 minutes ago
Jake White: Are modern rugby players actually better?

Of the rugby I’ve born witness to in my lifetime - 1990 to date - I recognize great players throughout those years. But I have no doubt the game and the players are on average better today. So I doubt going back further is going to prove me wrong. The technical components of the game, set pieces, scrums, kicks, kicks at goal. And in general tactics employed are far more efficient, accurate and polished. Professional athletes that have invested countless hours on being accurate. There is one nation though that may be fairly competitive in any era - and that for me is the all blacks. And New Zealand players in general. NZ produces startling athletes who have fantastic ball skills. And then the odd phenomenon like Brooke. Lomu. Mcaw. Carter. Better than comparing players and teams across eras - I’ve often had this thought - that it would be very interesting to have a version of the game that is closer to its original form. What would the game look like today if the rules were rolled back. Not rules that promote safety obviously - but rules like: - a try being worth 1 point and conversion 2 points. Hence the term “try”. Earning a try at goals. Would we see more attacking play? - no lifting in the lineouts. - rucks and break down laws in general. They looked like wrestling matches in bygone eras. I wonder what a game applying 1995 rules would look like with modern players. It may be a daft exercise, but it would make for an interesting spectacle celebrating “purer” forms of the game that roll back the rules dramatically by a few versions. Would we come to learn that some of the rules/combinations of the rules we see today have actually made the game less attractive? I’d love to see an exhibition match like that.

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