EXCLUSIVE: ‘For somebody to make a comment like that is atrocious. It feels like we’re going backwards’, Luther Burrell blasts ex-London Irish prop Alex Murphy for using N-word slur to Twickenham volunteer – labelling unsavoury incident as ‘disheartening’
- Former London Irish prop Alex Murphy has been barred from Twickenham
- He admitted making racist comments at the England v Wales fixture in 2022
- Murphy has also been stripped of of his privileges as a ‘distinguished member’
Luther Burrell has condemned the ‘atrocious’ behaviour of a former RFU council member who has been banned from Twickenham after using racist language at a Six Nations game.
The former England centre sent shockwaves through English rugby last year when he opened up to Mail Sport about the racism he had experienced.
It led to a root-and-branch review which exposed a culture of discrimination at all levels of the sport in this country.
That ugly element within the game has come to light again after the RFU revealed on Tuesday that it has barred ex-London Irish prop Alex Murphy from the national stadium.
He had admitted to making comments at the England v Wales fixture in 2022 which were described by a disciplinary panel as ‘archaic and incredibly offensive’.
Alex Murphy admitted to making racist comments at the England v Wales fixture in 2022
A statement issued by the union read: ‘The charge was that at the England v Wales match in 2022, Alex Murphy said to the volunteer as he was walking to the council box: ‘You realise they don’t let n****** in the Royal Box’.
A similar comment was then repeated later in the bar area. These were clearly heard both by the volunteer, and also their spouse who was distressed by the comment.’
It emerged that Murphy called the victim of his racist comments — someone he knew well — to apologise, but only after the volunteer had challenged him on WhatsApp.
A meeting of the RFU council on April 21 agreed to strip Murphy of his privileges as a ‘distinguished member’ and the union has also imposed a ‘time-limited stadium ban’.
Responding to the unsavoury revelations, Burrell told Mail Sport: ‘I’ve been in the royal box (at Twickenham). I took my dad, a black man, so I understand the dynamic of those rooms.
‘All of those people are in very privileged positions so for somebody in that kind of environment to make a comment like that is atrocious. It shows how far the sport still has to go.
‘That people think they can say that just baffles me. I know rugby’s making so-called progression but this just feels like we’re going backwards.
‘It’s disheartening that he felt like he could say that in that environment.
Leicester are in negotiations to sign Anthony Watson to a shock new Tigers contract
‘Something has to change. I look at these council members and ask what they actually do for the greater good of the game.’
Meanwhile, Leicester are in negotiations to sign Anthony Watson to a shock new Tigers contract, although Mail Sport understands central funding from the RFU would not play a part in any deal.
Watson, 29, is out of contract at the end of the season and Castres were among a number of French clubs looking at the England and Lions back amid a landscape of financial uncertainty and reduced salary cap in the Premiership.
Last week, Leicester left Watson off their official list of players leaving the club and interim head coach Richard Wigglesworth said: ‘We all know he is a top player and the club and Anthony are in conversations to try and make something happen.’