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Courtney Lawes endures Twitter backlash after controversial parenting tip

(Photo by Ramsey Cardy/Sportsfile via Getty Images)

England lock Courtney Lawes has faced a backlash on Twitter for his purported response to the successful campaign by Manchester United football forward Marcus Rashford, who was victorious in lobbying the UK government to make a U-turn on plans to scrap the free school meal voucher scheme.

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Rashford had used social media to make his views known about the voucher, forcing politicians to change their minds on a scheme that will now be extended over the summer holidays after it looked destined for the scrap. Rashford took to Twitter soon after to share this message: 

England player Lawes allegedly commented, congratulating Rashford and saying: “Great win mate! You’ve done a lot for a lot of young people!”

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The 2017 British and Irish Lion then added: “Maybe now would be a good time to bring some attention to the importance of being financially secure and preferably married before having kids? This would go a long way to treating a big part of the issue.” 

The tweet on the Northampton second row’s account was subsequently deleted, but many people were quick to screenshot it and share it. 

As with so many things on Twitter these days, Lawes’ view was immediately polarising with groups either castigating the 31-year-old or defending his right to share his opinion. 

The opprobrium ranged from accusations of “snobbery” to being called “absolute scumbag” and a “moron” which were some of the milder responses amid the reams of abuse Lawes faced. 

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There were also those who called for the lock’s sponsors to drop him after these comments, as well as some using this as a springboard to start a ‘football versus rugby’ debate.  

The 82-cap England rugby international stressed that he “wasn’t aiming to offend anyone”, Lawes adding: “It was clearly just a suggestion that I genuinely thought could help. Looks like I was wrong.” 

He also mentioned that some may have missed his point, as there were plenty that construed his comments as showing disapproval or opposition to what Rashford has achieved.

Despite the response, Lawes has not shirked away from defending himself, which he may need to do for the next few days. 

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Eliza Galloway 1 hour ago
Geoff Parling: An Englishman roasting the Lions?

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JW 1 hour ago
James O'Connor, the Lions and the great club v country conundrum

Lol you need to shoot your editor for that headline, even I near skipped the article.


France simply need to go to a league format for the Brennus, that will shave two weekends of pointless knockout rugby from their season and raise the competitions standards and mystique no end.


The under age loophole is also a easy door to shut, just remove the lower age limit. WR simply never envisioned a day were teams would target people under the age of 17 or whatever it is now, but much like with Rassie and his use of subs bench, that day was obviously always going to come. I can’t remember how football does it, I think it’s the other way around with them, you can’t sign anyone younger than that but unions can’t stop 17 or 18 yo’s from leaving for a pro club if they want to. There is a transaction that takes place of a few hundred thousand for a normal average player. I’d prefer rugby to be stricter and just keep the union bodies signoff being required.


What really was their problem with Kite and co leaving though? Do we really need a game dominated by Internationals? I even think WR’s proposed calendar might be a bit too much, with at minimum 12 top tier games being played in the World Championship. I think 10 to 12, maybe any one player playing 10 of those 12 is the best way to think of it, for every international team is max, so that they can allow their domestic comps to shine if they want, and other nations like Japan and Fiji can, even some of the home nations maybe, and fill out their calendar with extra tours if they like them as a way to make money. As it is RA don’t have as good a pathway system, so they could simply buy back those players if they turn good. Are they worried they’ll be less likely to? We wait for baited breath for the new season to be laid out in front of us by WR.

It could impose sanctions on the Fédération Française de Rugby, but the body which runs the Top 14 and the ProD2, the Ligue Nationale de Rugby, is entirely independent.

It’s not independent at all. The LNR is a body under, and commissioned by, the FFR (and Government control) to mediate the clubs. FFR can simply install a new club competition if they don’t listen, then you’d see whether the players want to stay at any club who doesn’t tow the line and move to the new competition, as they obviously wouldn’t fall under the auspice of world rugby. They would be rebels, which is fine in and upon itself, but they would isolate themselves from the rest of the game and would need to be OK with that. I have no doubt whatsoever that clubs would have to and want to fall in line to remain part of the EPCR and French rugby. Probably even the last thing they would want is to compete with another French domestic competition that has all the advantages they don’t.


All those players would do good for a few seasons in France, especially the fringe ones, with thankfully zero risk of them being poached if they turn good. New Zealand had a turn at keeping all of it’s talent, and while it upticked the competitiveness of the Super Rugby teams into a total dominance of Australian and South African counterparts (who were suffering more heavily than most the other way at that stage), it didn’t have as positive an effect on the next step up as ensuring young talents development is not hindered does. Essentially NZR flooded the locate market with players but inevitably it didn’t think the local economy could sustain any more pro teams itself, so now we are seeing a normal amount of exodus for the availability of places again. Are Australia in exactly the same footing? I think so, finances where dicey for a while perhaps but I doubt they are putting money constraints on their contracting now. It’s purely about who leaves to open up opportunity.

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