English rugby’s anthem Swing Low, Sweet Chariot has caused great controversy due to its links to slavery and has been regularly heard at the Rugby World Cup in France.
The anthem has very different connotations either side of the Atlantic Ocean, having originated in the United States as an African-American spiritual, commonly association with slavery and the continuous opression of the black race. The song was sung in the 1800s in an expression of the desire to be released from slavery, and was also frequently sung at funerals - which continues today.
