LONDON (UK) – Eddie Jones, England head coach, said he would not stop fans from singing “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” at the Twickenham Stadium. But he said that they need to be told of its links with slavery in the US.
Believed to have been penned by a slave in the mid-19th century, the anthem became hugely popular with England fans in the 80s. The RFU said last month that it would review the use of the anthem in the wake of the Black Lives Matter protests.
“It’s an awareness and education piece,” Jones said. “I remember coming in the 2000s and hearing the song when our scrum was under the pump. It didn’t resonate to me, that it was involved in things that possibly aren’t too flash.
“It was a rugby song but given that people now have that awareness … it’s probably a choice they have got to make. If they are educated enough and aware enough, they’ll make the right decision, but that’s not for me to tell them.”
(Photos syndicated via Reuters)
This story has been edited by BH staff and is published from a syndicated field