SANTIAGO DEL ESTERO, Argentina (AP) 鈥� England captain Jamie George is willing to walk his team off the field if it is subjected to racial abuse again in Argentina on Saturday.
England is playing the Pumas in the Nations Championship.
A year ago in San Juan, England Black players Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Chandler Cunningham-South were targeted racially by spectators while warming up before the match.
World Rugby condemned the abuse but couldn鈥檛 go any further because the perpetrators couldn鈥檛 be identified. The Argentine Rugby Union now warns fans against racial abuse.
George said on Friday he will act if the abuse is repeated.
鈥淚t’s something being considered,鈥� George said. “If anything like that happened then it deserves the strongest of reactions. There is no place for that in the world and I feel incredibly strongly about that.
“We’ve had discussions around What if?’ I really hope 鈥� and I’m optimistic 鈥� that the Argentinian Rugby Union has taken it very seriously. At the same time we’ve got a plan B if that doesn’t happen.
鈥淭he first thing we’d do is make the referee aware of what we’ve seen so it can be properly logged and all the protocols can go into play. What we do outside of that we’re still deciding.鈥�
George was a late withdrawal from the match in San Juan because he was called up by the British and Irish Lions on tour in Australia. But he was on the sidelines.
鈥淚t’s something I will remember for the rest of my life when I heard what had happened 鈥� and it wasn’t directed at me,鈥� George said. 鈥淚t was directed at my teammates and I care about my teammates more than anything.鈥�
George was collaborating with teammates to determine their course of possible action, including Opoku-Fordjour, who was in the reserves.
鈥淚 will continue to have conversations with a select group of players from different ethnic backgrounds and we will come up with a plan,鈥� George said.
鈥淎sher’s obviously aware of what’s coming and he’s had conversations with a few of the other guys. I’m going to him because this isn’t just my call to make 鈥� the abuse wasn鈥檛 aimed at me.鈥�
The buildup has also been hyped by Argentina beating England in the soccer World Cup semifinals on Wednesday. England rugby players took in Argentina’s all-night partying. But England, when it returns to Buenos Aires on Sunday, plans to move hotel away from the Obelisk, the center of Argentine celebrations. The World Cup is on Sunday and England don’t fly home until Monday.
England has beaten the Pumas in all five matches under coach Steve Borthwick. Argentina last won this contest in 2022 and hasn’t won at home since 2009.
Last November, their match at Twickenham ended with scuffles on and off the field. Tom Curry’s late tackle tore the ACL of Pumas fullback Juan Cruz Mallia 鈥� who was still recovering 鈥� and Curry had an altercation in the tunnel with Pumas coach Felipe Contepomi, who called Curry a bully.
Curry is on the bench this weekend and Contepomi was asked by Buenos Aires newspaper Clarin for an update.
鈥淗e is an excellent player, world class,鈥� Contepomi said of Curry. 鈥淚f I made a statement at the time that might have upset him I apologize. But I think those were just things said in the heat of the moment. The truth is, I don鈥檛 know him 鈥� people say he’s a good person but I have no idea. This isn’t about Tom Curry or me; this is Los Pumas versus England.鈥�
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