Members of the England team have opted not to wear rainbow laces for the match against Australia amid claims they cause too much discomfort, after the Rugby Football Union left the decision to the discretion of the players.
The RFU has selected Stonewall as the nominated charity for Saturday’s match and, as was the case last year, will promote the rainbow laces campaign on Twickenham’s big screens.
The Welsh Rugby Union on Thursday confirmed their players would be wearing the laces against South Africa in support of Stonewall and Wales’s former captain Gareth Thomas, who was the victim of a homophobic assault in Cardiff last weekend. France meanwhile, have said they will also do so against Fiji, while the All Blacks have confirmed they will wear them against Italy on Saturday afternoon.
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On Friday, the England flanker Sam Underhill spoke eloquently in support of Thomas but said he would not be wearing the laces.
“That is more to do with – it sounds a bit ridiculous given the size of the issue they are representing – it is more to do with the thickness of the laces, they are actually really uncomfortable in my boots,” he said. “And they are really long.
“I won’t be wearing them but I fully support the LGBT community. That is something we are all very, very keen that people know. It is a fantastic cause to support.
“On game day, little things can make quite big differences. If it was on a shirt or something like that, I don’t think anyone would say anything. It’s just the fact that you get your boots and your gumshield, the only bits of kit that are yours. Changes in things such as your laces, it sounds stupid, can make a big difference to a player. You like to keep your routine the same.
“So I won’t but it is an incredibly worthy cause, an incredibly important cause, and it is something I am very glad is coming to the fore in terms of support. To see the reaction to the incident with Gareth Thomas in Cardiff earlier this week, the reaction was phenomenal and the rugby community in general has been hugely positive in its support for the LGBT community.”
The England scrum coach, Neal Hatley, said: “While the union is very supportive, it’s an individual choice. But we’re unbelievably supportive around the cause.”
Last year Chris Robshaw chose to wear the laces in England’s victory over Samoa but on Friday Ben Te’o also confirmed he would not be against Australia. Te’o said: “I haven’t got the laces. I’ll just leave my boots as they are, as I’ve had them for the autumn.”
On Thursday, the Australia head coach, Michael Cheika, said his side would also be given the choice of wearing the laces. Israel Folau, who lines up at full-back for the Wallabies on Saturday, has created controversy in recent years by expressing his belief that homosexuality is a sin.