Sir Clive Woodward has joined the debate over England’s controversial anthem ‘Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’.
The RFU have launched a review into the ‘historical context’ of the song – which is regularly belted out by England supporters and has its lyrics written on the walls at Twickenham.
SIR CLIVE WOODWARD: Make singing Swing Low Sweet Chariot a way to foster racial equality | @CliveWoodward https://t.co/paArWFzfou
— MailOnline Sport (@MailSport) June 19, 2020
Writing in his column for the Mail Online, Woodward wrote: “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’s place in English rugby has never sat well with me.
“In rugby today, it has drunken, beery connotations accompanied by leery hand gestures — and the song has a complex history in the fight against racism.
“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot’s place in English rugby has never sat well with me. In rugby today, it has drunken, beery connotations accompanied by leery hand gestures — and the song has a complex history in the fight against racism.”
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He added: “I do not think anyone is singing it with racist intent but the current perception of the song is complicated and its racial overtones are highlighted, despite its links to the Civil Rights Movement.
“The outcry that banning Swing Low, Sweet Chariot is an example of ‘political correctness gone mad’ misses the point.
“It is about showing solidarity and committing to bettering the game and society.”
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