England rugby captain Jamie George has revealed the team is actively considering the unprecedented step of walking off the pitch should any of their players be subjected to racial abuse during Saturday's Test match against Argentina. The fixture, set to take place in Santiago del Estero, follows a previous encounter in San Juan last year that was marred by racist behaviour directed at England players.
During England's victory in San Juan last year, replacements Asher Opoku-Fordjour and Chandler Cunningham-South were reportedly targeted by racial slurs from sections of the crowd. While World Rugby, the sport's governing body, condemned the incidents, it was ultimately unable to identify those responsible. This history, coupled with a heated exchange between the teams in November which saw Argentina coach Felipe Contepomi accuse England flanker Tom Curry of aggressive behaviour, sets the stage for a potentially charged atmosphere.
George, who is leading the side in the absence of Maro Itoje, underscored the team's firm stance against racism. He stated, "It's something being considered. 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." The captain, 35, was present at the San Juan game last year, having been a late withdrawal from the starting XV due to a Lions tour call-up, and described the events as something he would "remember for the rest of my life."
In response to previous incidents, the Argentine Rugby Federation (UAR) has introduced new preventative measures. These include displaying warnings against racial abuse on tickets, stadium screens, through public announcements, and within match programmes. Additionally, a mandatory code of conduct has been established for all Argentina's provincial unions, aiming to foster a more respectful environment for spectators and players alike.
Despite these proactive steps from the UAR, George confirmed that England has a 'plan B' in place. "The 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," he explained. He also mentioned ongoing discussions with a diverse group of players to finalise their strategy, highlighting the collective commitment to addressing such serious issues. England has a strong recent record against the Pumas, having won nine of their last ten encounters.