World Rugby issues statement over Argentina fans' racist abuse of England players
Steve Borthwick 's side eked out a 22-17 victory in San Juan on July 12, but the match was marred by hate speech directed at a number of England stars.
The sport's global governing body has stated that 'it is clear an incident took place' after an 'immediate and through investigation' was undertaken.
But after analysing witness statements, video analysis and other lines of enquiry, World Rugby has been unable to identify the individuals responsible.
It was also stated that World Rugby has worked with the Argentine Rugby Union to develop an action plan to 'educate fans and better prevent such unacceptable incidents from occurring again'.
'Rugby completely condemns discriminatory behaviour of any kind,' World Rugby chair Brett Robinson said. 'We offer our full support to the players involved and want them to know that rugby stands with them in opposing racism. I applaud their courage in raising what must have been a highly distressing experience.
'The rugby family holds our values close to our heart, we will never compromise what we stand for. We use our global platform to say with one voice that racism, or any other kind of hate, has no place not just in rugby, but society as a whole. We expect the rugby family to set an example and model the values that underpin a sport where all are welcome.
'I would like to thank the Union Argentina de Rugby for their cooperation both in attempting to identify the individuals involved and for swiftly developing a comprehensive plan which we believe will make such incidents less likely in future.'
England Rugby CEO Bill Sweeney added: "There is absolutely no place for racism in our sport—or in any society—and these incidents must be condemned in the strongest possible terms.
"Every player, regardless of their background, has the right to represent their country with pride and dignity, free from discrimination and abuse. We are in close contact with the players affected and have offered them our full support.
"We're pleased that World Rugby was able to act swiftly to investigate and thank UAR for their full cooperation and support throughout. We trust that they will take the necessary steps to prevent any recurrence of such unacceptable behaviour."
England completed an impressive 2-0 series win in Argentina, with a last-gasp Jack van Poortvliet try sealing a second Test victory in San Juan.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
The Sun
23 minutes ago
- The Sun
Topless hakas and wild celebrations – how rugby legend is bringing winning culture to Chelsea's billion pound youngsters
FROM doing a topless haka in the Chelsea dressing room to punching the dugout in celebration of the Club World Cup win, you can see the passion that Willie Isa brings to the Blues. The former world champion rugby league star, 36, started in the brand new role of player support and development officer for the Premier League club only in February. 7 7 Yet the viral videos of the Samoan demonstrate Isa is already very much at the heart of what is going on at Stamford Bridge. It comes as no surprise to Isa's former boss at Wigan Warriors that he has become so popular, so quickly in his new life in a new sport. In February 2024, head coach Matt Peet led Wigan to victory in the World Club Challenge. And Isa, who had been at the club since 2016, was the 'cultural architect' who set the standards on and off the field that underpinned the triumph. Peet told SunSport: 'It can sound vague I think, like wishy-washy words, when you talk about culture and standards. 'But it comes back to what are you willing to accept and what are you not willing to accept. 'And who's going to set where the line is and acknowledge when things fall below standard. 'Willie was someone who would be driving the cultural side of the environment, standards, behaviours, attitude, just 24/7. Those people are so important. 'We all knew he'd be an addition to any environment. So it's just fair play to Chelsea for identifying him. They had obviously done their homework.' Just weeks after Isa became a world champion with Wigan in February last year, he suffered an horrific injury. A fractured fibula and dislocated ankle put him out for months, but even then - especially then - he made sure he continued to contribute. In the autumn, after Wigan had lifted the Challenge Cup and Super League without him on the field, Isa said: 'I was elevated a few years back as a leader and, with the injury, I wanted to play a part in the team in some other way. 'The one-to-one stuff I love but also leading in the group. I make sure our principles stay intact as a club in performance and as people.' Isa returned to training but never to matches before Chelsea offered him the chance to show his off-field skills were transferable to a different sport. You could say Isa was to Wigan what James Milner was to Liverpool under Jurgen Klopp, with the former Kop boss saying Milner was absolutely vital in setting the tone and standards which propelled the Reds back to the top. It is a comparison which Peet agrees with and Isa would appreciate. Because, after joining Widnes Vikings in 2012, he became a committed Liverpool fan. He was in Madrid to watch Klopp's side win the Champions League in 2019 and long-term partner Gemma Bonner plays for the Reds' ladies side. 7 7 But now Isa finds himself working for one of Liverpool's big rivals. The average age of a Chelsea starter last season - 24 years and 36 days - was the youngest in Premier League history. And Peet believes Isa is the perfect role model, mentor and confidant for Enzo Maresca 's youthful squad. Peet said: 'Any young player, they want to be challenged to improve. They want to be shown the way to lead your life as a professional, in high performance. 'But first and foremost, they want to know that there's a genuine care there. 'That's what Willie will be good at. He'll put his arm around those that need it, but it won't be a softly, softly approach. 'It'll be driving them to be the best they can be. 'Whatever age group, whatever walk of life these players and staff are from, Willie will have a good way of engaging with people, building relationships and trust with everyone really.' That was certainly the case at Wigan, as Peet recalled: 'The story I like telling about Willie is we were having a team culture discussion one morning. 'We asked all the players to talk about something that a team-mate had done for them which no one else knew about. 'There were 25 people in the meeting that shared and probably over half of the people mentioned Willie. 'Giving them a lift to training. Borrowing them some money. Allowing them to stay at his house rent free when things had gone wrong for them... 'Or when they had moved over from another country, just catching up with the lads for a coffee or doing things for their families. 'You would think, in a meeting like that after a while, certain people would be friends with some groups more than others. 'But it was really evident that Willie was a good team-mate to a cross-section of the team.' 7 7 Behind his strapping physique and competitiveness, Isa really is a man for all seasons. Peet said: 'He's interested in his sport, no doubt. When he was in the rugby club he was 100 per cent rugby league, but then at the weekend he'd go watch Gemma or Liverpool. 'He also had a diverse range of interests. What he'd read about, what he'd talk about, politics, social issues. 'I know that weekly he'd visit homeless shelters. Not as an appearance, they wouldn't even know he was a professional athlete. He'd just go and do it off his own bat. 'He's just an interesting guy. He's happy to have a conversation about a range of subjects. 'It'll be seen as a team role that he has, linked to culture and environment. But it's really built on individual connections and that's where Willie will excel.' By all accounts, Isa is really making an impression at Chelsea. He is a daily presence at the club's training ground in Cobham and part of the backroom staff for every match. A popular figure. A leader of men. And, just months after swapping an oval ball for a round one, part of a world championship-winning team again.
BBC News
23 minutes ago
- BBC News
Rugby club's ball washes up nearly 500 miles away
A rugby ball, last seen on a beach in north-east England, has been found washed up on a beach nearly 500 miles away!Rockcliff Rugby Club left the ball in a toy bin at Longsands Beach to encourage more people to play the the club were shocked when a German family contacted them to let them know they had found the ball while on holiday in Denmark, about 470 miles had spotted the ball floating in the water during a fishing trip. What happened? Two of the club's young players, placed the ball in the toy bin on 15 June so that families could play with it while at the seaside. However, just over a month later it had managed to travel hundreds of miles across the North Sea and was found in Denmark by Bernd Terbeek and his son, who were on a fishing Terbeek decided to email the club to tell them of his family's discovery and said they planned to use it to play rugby later that added that his family planned to keep the ball and would continue to check on the club's activities in the future.
BBC News
an hour ago
- BBC News
Graham 'gutted' his 'rollercoaster' Lions journey cut short
"Gutted" Darcy Graham has confirmed his British and Irish Lions involvement has been brought to an abrupt end by the ankle injury he sustained just 17 minutes into his debut against the First Nations and Pasifika Scotland winger was a late call-up to Andy Farrell's squad and stated on Monday his plans to "stay until the end" and work for a Test cap after being named as a starter on case was strengthened with an early try on his debut in Melbourne, where he showcased his burst of speed, but just minutes after crossing the white line, the Edinburgh wing exited the field in tears. By full-time, he was sporting a medical has now taken to social media to confirm his - and many fans' - fears that the ligament damage has ruled him out of the remainder of the 28-year-old said it was "16 minutes he'll never forget" and that he will "try again in four years time".
