And so it goes on. First England captain Owen Farrell has withdrawn from international rugby union and now referee Tom Foley, the television match official in the World Cup final, has followed suit. Both have cited abuse and criticism online as a factor in their decisions, and both have expressed their desire to reduce the pressure and control on themselves and their families.
First and foremost, this column sends its sincere best wishes to both the Farrells and the Foleys. All the world’s high-profile rugby events clearly count for nothing compared to the well-being and mental health of the individuals involved and those closest to them. Hopefully they will both be back on an international field sooner or later.
It would also be nice to think that this week marks an important turning point. That the molten rage of social media is beginning to cool somewhat and that, before booing match officials or high-profile faces on big screens, people pause to think about the human being within each household name. It’s not just English rugby that needs to pause and think about the direction the sport is taking.
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Something has to change before the situation gets out of hand. Farrell’s World Cup teammate Kyle Sinckler has already told BBC Sport that he “wouldn’t be surprised” if more international players took a break and said “this is just the beginning”. In Sinckler’s eyes, there is a growing need to help players navigate the modern reality of their profession. “I don’t think it has anything to do with the fans,” Sinckler suggested, wondering aloud whether enough is being done within the team environment to alleviate the pressure. “I just think the support for the players, if I’m blunt and brutally honest, could be a lot better.”
It’s an increasingly important discussion, with the bonds of society increasingly strained and internet vitriol growing louder. If there’s a big difference between someone criticizing your shoddy work or your decisions in the morning paper and receiving abuse and death threats from anonymous accounts around the world, there are clearly problems for media companies too. If few online users care about the broader implications of what they say or write, coarser public discourse will inevitably follow.
Not only does the internet need a more vigilant police force, but attitudes need to be reexamined. Respect and civility are increasingly in danger of being seen as outdated constructs rather than the grease that keeps the wheels of society turning. Which brings us back to sports writing, among other things. The relationship between players, coaches, match officials and journalists, maintaining fair, balanced reporting and ultimately shaping public perceptions. Listening to Saracens director of rugby Mark McCall specifically blame elements of “the mainstream media” for causing the furore that has now led Farrell to step back, it becomes depressingly clear that distrust is widespread .
This goes to the heart of the dynamic of professional critics and professional athletes. Some of us have always assumed that rugby players, more than most, deserve respect just for taking the field. The physical and mental demands at the highest level are enormous. Coaches do difficult work, referees almost impossible. Good and bad days can happen to anyone. Reviews, just like in the theater, should be as honest and accurate as possible, without becoming personal or unnecessary.
At the same time, the media swirl is spinning faster and faster. Nuance is harder, headlines are bolder, and clicks need to be merged. Metered newspaper columns are less gripping than 15 seconds of an ashen-faced coach in the immediate aftermath of a major defeat. Newcastle’s director of rugby Alex Codling was a perfect case study on weekends: the price of your league accepting a big TV contract is having a microphone shoved in your face at your darkest hour.
So what’s next? For some the answer will be clear. Fewer interviews, fewer breaches, put an end to the horrific hacks. Wrong. If anything, rugby needs to do the opposite and talk openly more often. And here’s why. If Farrell and Foley had felt better able to express their concerns and develop more open channels of communication with their employers, the media and, by extension, the public six months ago, things might not have unraveled as much as they have.
Hopefully, amid the fallout, there will be a reappraisal of the whole way in which individuals, clubs and unions interact with the media. The more access and openness, the better. Ditch the internal puff content and the “give them nothing” policy and think again. Train the captains – Ellis Jenkins from Cardiff was excellent to listen to recently – and the referees as a matter of routine and ensure that every member of each squad is available for an hour a week for an interview on request. Suddenly, authenticity and insight will emerge where contempt and suspicion have reigned for too long. Instead of pointing fingers at the “mainstream media”, invite the rugby correspondents for a cup of coffee and discuss how things can be improved together.
Rugby in particular needs to find more ways to show its human side. The camaraderie and humor, the hope and fear, the skill and the fine judgments. Because when the audience only sees a fraction of the real story, flawed perceptions and finger-pointing become harder to avoid. Shooting the messenger is not the way forward either. Apart from better pastoral care, the best way to ease the pressure on Farrell, Foley and others is to inform and educate. Or, if that doesn’t work, to disconnect the internet.
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