The Rugby Football Union has pledged to ramp up efforts to tackle discrimination in the game after its own inclusion and diversity survey found that “in every area of elite rugby – men’s and women’s, national team, clubs and academies – players had experienced some form of racism”.
Independent research into players’ experiences of discrimination in the elite game was commissioned by the governing body last year, following the former England centre Luther Burrell’s allegations of racism he suffered as a player at Newcastle in 2020. On Tuesday night the RFU also released the results of its investigation into those claims, which found Burrell’s allegations to be true “on balance of probability” but that there was “insufficient evidence to say whether all the allegations occurred at the club”.
The RFU said on Tuesday that Burrell’s comments in an interview with the Mail on Sunday last summer had “necessitated a deeper look at these issues and the broader culture within the elite end of the game” and, between September and December 2022, 500 people at the top of the game took part in its survey. Among the key findings is the concession that “efforts by the game to respond to discrimination to date, while well intended, have been either short‑lived or perceived as performative”.
The research also identifies classism as a significant element of discrimination existing in rugby: “Either accessing and navigating through the pathways or personal experiences within elite environments, is an issue which affects the game and fuels an elitist perception.”
As a result of the findings the RFU has now set out an inclusion and diversity action plan, incorporating three key stages: “educate”, “understand” and “change”.
In June last year the former Sale, Northampton and Newcastle player Burrell gave a shocking account of the treatment of black players at the Falcons, submitting evidence to the subsequent investigation including a message from a players’ WhatsApp group containing the word “negro”. The report states the WhatsApp group was set up by players and was not an official club channel.
“Things get said in jest without any thought,” Burrell said. “Comments about bananas when you’re making a smoothie in the morning. Comments about fried chicken when you’re out for dinner. I’ve heard things that you wouldn’t expect to hear 20 years ago.”
The investigation into the allegations found that Burrell was “subject to a further two specific incidents of racial abuse (one directed at the player and one witnessed by the player), therefore, the player was subject to racial abuse verbally and in the WhatsApp group”.
The RFU said 93 Newcastle employees were interviewed in the course of the investigation. “Many of the employees stated that the culture at the club was good,” the RFU statement said, but “there was ‘banter’ between players which was sometimes harsh, even brutal”.
The statement continued: “However, the report makes clear that racist, homophobic and misogynist abuse is not ‘banter’ and categorising such abuse as such minimises the seriousness of the abuse.”
Burrell did not name anyone in his evidence and the report opens the possibility of further action. “The report recommends that the RFU should consider a disciplinary investigation based on the information obtained,” reads the report summary, “whilst also considering the most effective ways of achieving its aim to diversify the game.”
The damning findings for rugby, in Burrell’s case and from the wider research, come after decisions in Yorkshire county cricket club’s racism scandal were announced last week, with five out of six former players found to have used racist and discriminatory language. The former England captain Michael Vaughan was cleared.
The RFU apologised last year to Burrell and in reacting to the report Bill Sweeney, the RFU chief executive, said: “Luther was very brave to come forward and share his experiences of racism and classism in the game and he has the continued support of the union …
“Working together, the RFU, PRL [Premiership Rugby], P15s [Premier 15s] and RPA [Rugby Players’ Association], will act collectively to eliminate racism, classism and any form of discrimination from our game and ensure club environments are inclusive for any player from every background.
“Our collective inclusion and diversity action plan for the elite game has been accelerated in light of Luther’s experience. It highlights the need for more inclusive leadership, the need to look at reporting processes, and to broaden access to the game and pathways.”
