Sale Sharks cause another uproar
SOCIAL MEDIA SPOTLIGHT: There’s a fine art to Twitter – especially when you have the backing of an incredibly successful professional rugby club.
It’s fair to say that Sale Sharks didn’t quite get their social media game right on Thursday, with one particular tweet drawing plenty of criticism.
The Sharks account Tweeted out a short clip of an excellent piece of skill from loose forward Ben Curry, who was one of Sale’s best performers in their Premiership Cup win over Harlequins over the weekend.
How about @BenCurry98 dusting and @EnglandRugby full back… 🏃🏽♂️💨
Sorry not Sorry @mikebrown_15 😬 pic.twitter.com/LBTrK42XlI
— Sale Sharks🦈 (@SaleSharksRugby) September 24, 2020
The clip showed Curry making the most of some ragged defence after receiving the ball shortly after a kickoff by chipping ahead and tearing off down the field in pursuit.
22-year-old Curry manages to outpace the turning Harlequins defence and reclaims the ball but the play ultimately comes to nothing.
35-year-old Mike Brown, who had to turn and chase the ball, is the fullback in question.
Social media users have chastised the account for framing the clip around how Curry bested Brown instead of simply focussing on the flank’s excellent skill-set.
Brown, who was tagged in the Tweet, responded by saying “Luckily [the social media poster is] not a representation of how [the players] are.”
Nice humility 👍🏼
Well done to your players for the win, well deserved. Luckily you’re not a representation of how they are.— Mike Brown (@mikebrown_15) September 24, 2020
It’s not the content of the clip that has some calling the Tweet “embarrassing” and “unprofessional”, however; it’s the message accompanying the video, which highlights Curry “dusting and [sic] England Rugby fullback”.
Users of the social media platform were quick to take sides, with the majority suggesting that the Tweet was poorly thought out and in ill-taste.
&
Nice humility 👍🏼
Well done to your players for the win, well deserved. Luckily you’re not a representation of how they are.— Mike Brown (@mikebrown_15) September 24, 2020
Petty and unprofessional from Sale, particularly as they can’t even get the wording in their jibe right. #embarrassing
— Neil Winter (@1NeilWinter) September 24, 2020
Sharks , you won the game fair and square , be proud of that and promote the good work of your team , no need to disrespect our players . #rugbyvalues
— Quinssa (@QuinssaRugby) September 24, 2020
Distinct lack of class demonstrated by who ever is control of the @SaleSharksRugby twitter account. Sure praise you own, but no need for the dig.
— Andrew Charles (@MrA_Charles) September 24, 2020
Mike Brown wasn’t the only high-profile Twitter user to respond to the Tweet, however, with the Harlequins and Saracens’ accounts jumping in to respond.
🙄
We think you meant ‘an’ rather than ‘and’. 😉 pic.twitter.com/VAHzbzQPT6
— Harlequins 🃏 (@Harlequins) September 24, 2020
— Saracens Rugby Club (@Saracens) September 24, 2020
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