Former stars in spat over testical grabbing
REACTION: Two former internationals – Gareth Thomas and Andy Goode – went toe-to-toe in a social media spat over England prop Marler disgusting act to grab a fellow player’s testicles.
Marler grabbed Alun Wyn Jones’ genitalia on camera in the opening minutes of the game between England and Wales at Twickenham at the weekend and it was the talk of the social media as a result.
Gareth Thomas, an openly gay former Wales player, initially made light of the situation – suggesting he would have enjoyed it.
During ITV’s half-time commentary Thomas joked that: “It’d never happened in my day, and I’m upset about that, as I’d never have retired.”
It was a joke that delighted fellow ITV pundits Clive Woodward, Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Phillips.
However, he has felt the need to apologise to what he described as a ‘small minority’ online who took offence at his joke.
To the VERY small minority of people who were offended by my comment yesterday I apologise. I tried to find humour in a situation-that doesn’t mean I condone it, it means I wanted it to not be an issue. So don’t change the narrative to justify how you feel.❤️Be kind❤️
— Gareth Thomas (@gareththomas14) March 8, 2020
The former Welsh player has taken to Twitter to apologise to the those who did take offence.
“To the VERY small minority of people who were offended by my comment yesterday I apologise. I tried to find humour in a situation that doesn’t mean I condone it, it means I wanted it to not be an issue. So don’t change the narrative to justify how you feel.”
One of those offended was former England flyhalf Andy Goode.
Imagine if someone touched another man or woman up in the workplace and then someone joked about it on TV. People have admiration for Gareth Thomas with what he’s been through and opened up about but I wonder if something similar was done in a homophobic way he’d joke about it?
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) March 7, 2020
Goode tweeted: “Imagine if someone touched another man or woman up in the workplace and then someone joked about it on TV. People have admiration for Gareth Thomas with what he’s been through and opened up about but I wonder if something similar was done in a homophobic way he’d joke about it?”
He followed that tweet up with: “People think it’s funny but the values our game has been built around aren’t in great shape at the minute!”
People think it’s funny but the values our game has been built around aren’t in great shape at the minute! pic.twitter.com/eBx5WxAwm1
— Andy Goode (@AndyGoode10) March 7, 2020
Speaking at Wales’ post-match press conference, Alyn Wyn Jones, the victim of the grab, said: “I’ve got 138 Tests for my country. If I react, I get a red card. It’s tough, isn’t it?
“Hopefully World Rugby have a look at it. Joe’s a good bloke, lots of things happen on a rugby field.
“It’s difficult as a captain these days because you can’t speak to a ref about anything, it feels.
“I look at the touch judge. Obviously he didn’t see what happened, and that’s fine.
“There’s a lot of footage that has been shown. It seems like a lot of supporters saw what happened.
“It’s very frustrating that we talk a lot about TMOs (television match officials) and footage reviews, yet there doesn’t seem to be a lot of it happening.”
Source: RugbyPass
- Also read: Marler faces ban over testicle grab
