Christian Wade: Rugby ignoring black state school kids

Christian Wade playing for Wasps Image copyright Getty Images

One of the most famous black players in the Premiership says rugby union isn't doing enough to get ethnic minority children from state schools into the game.

England and Wasps wing Christian Wade says the sport still suffers from a "white, public school" image.



"I think there is probably a lot more that can be done to integrate everyone and make it more diverse," Christian said.

"There is a lot of talent out there in normal secondary schools that can be transferred across."

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Image caption Wasps wing Christian was top try-scorer in Rugby Union's Premiership last season with 17


"The amount of Instagram DMs and posts from kids who look up to me and want to play rugby, but don't know how they can get into good clubs that will give them an opportunity to get scouted, is endless."




"Rugby union definitely has a private school image," Christian agrees. "We need to reach out a lot more."

School System Failures

"Not a lot of state secondary schools have a full rugby programme like the private schools do," says Christian, who finished last season as the Premiership's top try-scorer.

He believes clubs tend to target private schools to work with instead of secondary schools "because a lot of the work has been done by the school already".


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Image caption Christian wants to see more students from non fee-paying schools given opportunities by Premiership rugby clubs




"You can't just hand out hundreds of scholarships all the time," Christian argues. "There will only ever be a handful who can benefit from that.

"To get kids into private school you obviously need money, which not everybody has. I was lucky, because I'm not from a wealthy background.

"Luckily I had a little bit of brains to get into a grammar school but, if I didn't, then it could have been a different story for me."

Premiership Rugby points to its "Hitz Programme", which works with more than 2000 14 to 18-year-olds every year, as evidence it is trying to make the sport more accessible.

It says its "Project Rugby" initiative, in partnership with the RFU, is also aimed at increasing rugby participation from under-represented groups such as the black and Asian communities and those from poorer backgrounds.

'I want to try to help these kids'


"I want to do it while I'm still playing, as that will probably be when I'm most powerful as a rugby player.


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It's this reliance on the private school system that he wants to try to challenge.

"I'm always open to giving advice and helping them get into clubs.


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