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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Sport
Marc Mayo

Maro Itoje vows never to sing England rugby anthem ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’ again due to slavery origin

Maro Itoje has announced that he will no longer partake in the England rugby anthem ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’.

Roses fans began singing the tune in 1987 however it is thought to have its origins in slavery, and is credited to 19th century African-American freedman Wallace Willis.

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