Sale Sharks players have apparently received death threats for not kneeling as part of the Black Lives Matter protest.
The club’s South African contingent have been caught in a political storm after being reprimanded by SA sports minister Nathi Mthethwa.
Springbok stars such as Faf de Klerk and Lood de Jager joined their teammates in wearing “Rugby against Racism” T-shirts.
England winger Marland Yarde hit back at their critics on social media, saying: “I stand 100 percent for the Black Lives Matter movement and wholeheartedly believe in the importance of highlighting the continuous battle that we face in society every day, and the need for a change.
“I have to also stand against death threats against my teammates which is totally unacceptable. This behaviour will not make the world a better place. We are united we are a team!! #blacklivesmatter #rugbyagainstracism.”
Yarde did not provide evidence of the death threats and it’s still not clear whether the offending social media posts are being investigated by UK police.
Unlike in the English football league, where players kneel before games and wear shirts with Black Lives Matter on the back, Premiership rugby clubs have been left to arrange their own anti-racism protest.
Bristol Bears stand in a heart formation before kickoff and coach Pat Lam said: “The most important thing is that there is an awareness around racism and we are all aligned – there is no place for racism.”