Abuse

A funny thing happened this week at the sunday game that I reffed – U18 Colts – a good game between two good teams. Perhaps coincidental is a better word, anyway it has really got me thinking as I ponder the mountain of abuse that Tom Curry is receiving from South African tweeters, and the whole subject of derogatory insults on the pitch.

At half time I was approached by one of the players who advised me that he had received a homophobic insult from the opposition 9. FFS, just what I need I thought, so went through ‘are you sure?’, ‘what did he say?’ etc

To be honest I belived him, and why would I not, not least because the 9 was a bit of a hot head during the 1st half, getting very frustrated when things didn't go his way. In either case it didn't matter whether I believed him or not.

By the way, the insult was probably toward the lower end of the scale when it came to naughty words. Certainly it was a word commonly thrown around with little thought in the “old days” on the pitch. We’re not in the “old days” anymore though are we?

I then advised him that by speaking to me, I have an obligation to report this, and that fine, he was good with this. Nothing more happened in the second half, I spoke to both captains at the end, I reported it, it is being brought to the attention of the RFU, and that is it. As far as I am concerned.

There were no press conferences, no noise around it at all.

Not the most fascinating story of course, but one that seems strangely relevant this week with the ongoing noise around Tom Curry and Bongi Mbonambi.

Here’s some broader context; over the last few years, the RFU has appeared very keen to pursue instances of both defamatory language/insults on the pitch, as well as Match Official Abuse. This season it has appeared to me that this approach is being reinforced and certainly my society has reiterated the need to report it all.

Therefore, expanding this to the top of the game, what is Tom Curry to do, if he hears an insult such as this? If he ignores it, then it empowers the abuser, right? If we are to understand that this had happened in a previous game then this precisely what has happened.

Of course, it has opened not a ‘can of worms’ but seemingly a ‘big bucket of cape cobras’. Vile, ignorant and in some cases seemingly a little unhinged. All of this on the back of what appears to be a conspiracy to make it into a dumb mistake around language. I can only imagine that in the best traditions of Trump’s mega MAGA fans, the South African agitators are simply doubling down on this nonsense in order to sway any neutral opinion.

World Rugby has to do more, it cannot just let this go.

Now, lets by very clear; Bongi is not a proven racist, but neither is Tom a proven liar. The truth lies somewhere in between, and quite possibly a misunderstanding. However, despite what South African social media are screaming it is not about the ‘wit kant’ shouts that can be heard on the convenient video clips.

By endlessly posting this clip on social media it is quite clear that this is heard fairly regularly throughout a game. This being the case, no sane person is going to pick up just one of these instances and “mis-translate” – that just doesn’t make any sense at all.

Tom Curry explicitly told the ref that the insult was aimed at him, not shouted generally to all those in earshot. To pretend otherwise is simply stupid.

Its sad but it really is a no-win situation, just like the incident in my game will be, but like the incident in my game it has to be taken seriously by the authorities, not just arbitrarily dismissed as un-evidenced.

I understand that action this week this could have an effect on upsetting the preparations for the RWC Final, and I have total sympathy for this. To my mind I would – due to the lack of evidence, and the timing – defer this until after the RWC finishes. I have no desire for Bongi Mbonambi to miss the final because of course he may well be totally faultless here.

Perhaps this is what World Rugby will do, perhaps its some sort of cynical smoke screen. I hope so, because whatever happens next it seems at the time of writing to be deeply unsatisfactory.