Wakefield Trinity’s players make their own stand against racism - were they right to do so?

Rugby league stepped out from its enforced coronavirus layoff earlier this month into a changed sporting landscape where protests in support of the Black Lives Matters movement have become the norm.

Catalans Dragons centre Israel Folau, already controversial for his opinions on homosexuality, was the only player not to ‘take a knee’ during the first round of fixtures following Super League’s resumption earlier this month, a stance which made headlines across the globe.

Before their game against Wigan Warriors two days ago, Trinity became the first team to stand throughout the final moments before kick-off, sparking a mixed reaction from fans.

While some applauded the gesture, others felt the club were snubbing the Black Lives Matters campaign.

Such comments angered Wakefield’s England centre Reece Lyne who, in a message on social media, described them as “crazy”.

Lyne wrote: “As a group we decided to show unity against racism in our own way, every person has a choice which should be respected!!!”

In a follow-up Tweet, the former Hull and Hull KR man denied the club’s black players were unhappy with the stance, adding: “We wanted to show unity and solidarity as a team against racism, which as a club we are.”

Trinity officials were clearly alert to the controversy the players’ decision to stand might make. In a statement before the game, the club insisted via their Twitter account: “Everyone at Wakefield Trinity fully supports all measures and messages devoted to improving equality, diversity and inclusion and we will confront racism, not only in rugby league, but in society.”

But it added: “How the players show that support before [Sunday’s] match is down to personal choice.

“They should not be vilified for that personal choice.”

The statement went on to say: “Wakefield Trinity endorses the important message that black lives matter.

“For us, this is about people, not politics.

“The club will not tolerate any racism within its ranks and the board, players and staff are totally united on that.”

Coach Chris Chester has stressed he backed the players’ decision not to kneel.

He said: “We had a good open chat during the week, led by the captain.

“We just felt as a group we needed some education on what the Black Lives Matter movement is.

“That’s the reason why we came up with what we did.

“I have been in dialogue with [equality campaigner and Jamaica rugby league team official] Alex Simmons quite a bit [before Sunday’s game] and we just felt we needed a bit more education on it and what it was about.

“Ultimately, [it was] led by the players and a decision that’s supported by myself as coach and [chief executive] Michael Carter and the rest of the board.”

Wigan’s players did take a knee before the game which they won 23-22, after Trinity threatened to pull off a remarkable comeback from 22-6 down.

Their winger Bevan French and Wakefield front-rower David Fifita knelt with an aboriginal flag in the moments leading up to kick-off.

Once again, Folau stood ahead of Catalans’ game against Castleford Tigers on Saturday, this time joined by at least two of his teammates, but the majority of players involved in round eight did take a knee.

The debate over the players’ actions to an extent overshadowed a positive performance from Trinity in their first game following the resumption.

Though Wigan took advantage of an error-ridden display over the first 50 minutes to build a big lead, Trinity battled back to score the game’s final three tries and would have sent it into extra-time had Jacob Miller been able to land a drop goal with the final kick.

Wigan’s young half-back Harry Smith had booted a one-pointer three minutes from time and Chester admitted: “That was probably the biggest difference – their drop goal, they had no pressure, we made it quite easy for him.

“Whereas, we had three or four blokes bearing down on Milky [Miller] and putting him under pressure and we ended up missing the drop goal.

“It’s fine margins and we were a little bit off in certain areas.

“Our effort in the first half is the reason we lost the game.

“We needed to control the ball a bit better than we did and ultimately that cost us.”

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