Gareth Thomas issues Twitter apology over on-air joke

Gareth Thomas has felt the need to apologise to a ‘small minority’ online who took offence at a joke he made following an incident during the England Wales Six Nations game in Twickenham.

England prop Marler grabbed Alun Wyn Jones’ genitalia on camera in the opening minutes of the game and it was the talk of the social media as a result.

During ITV’s half-time commentary, openly gay rugby pundit and former Welsh star Thomas joked that: “It’d never happened in my day, and I’m upset about that, as I’d never have retired.”

It was joke that delighted fellow ITV pundits Clive Woodward, Jonny Wilkinson and Mike Phillips and the vast majority of the television audience and those online.

However, a few didn’t see the funny side.

Now the Welsh legend 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.”

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

One of those offended was former England flyhalf Andy Goode.

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?”

https://twitter.com/AndyGoode10/status/1236378514816929793

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!”

https://twitter.com/AndyGoode10/status/1236386205224370176

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.”

WATCH: Wales coach Wayne Pivac and captain Alun Wyn Jones speak at a press conference following the team’s Guinness Six Nations match against England.