Maro Itoje has declared his choice to refrain from participating in the rendition of the England rugby anthem “Swing Low, Sweet Chariot.”
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Nevertheless, he affirms that he does not endorse the notion of banning fans from singing it at Twickenham.
The RFU conducted an assessment of the song, which has its roots in an American slave spiritual. The examination acknowledged that many supporters were oblivious to its historical beginnings.
In a statement, the RFU said: “The RFU has stated it will not ban Swing Low, Sweet Chariot as it has a long-held place in rugby history however, the Union will use its social media and event audiences to proactively educate fans on the history and provenance of the song as well as providing platforms for diverse voices across the game.”
Ex-England hooker Brian Moore said he “hated it” and former England Women flanker Maggie Alphonsi said it no longer “sits easy” with her.
“I’m not going to tell people what they should or shouldn’t do but, personally, I won’t sing this song anymore,” Itoje said when speaking with French newspaper L’Equipe..
“I sang it before when I was naive and didn’t know its origins but, knowing now the context in the creation of Swing Low, Sweet Chariot, it’s not an anthem that I’m going to repeat anymore.”
It is believed the song was first sung at Twickenham when Martin “Chariots” Offiah featured at the 1987 Middlesex Sevens tournament. In 1988 it became popular among England supporters when Chris Oti scored a hat-trick against Ireland.
The song’s origins are rooted in US slavery, however, and it is believed to have been written by the American slave Wallace Willis around the 1860s.