Former England international Luther Burrell claims that speaking out about a team-mate’s racist remarks effectively ended his playing career.
The 37-year-old never formally retired from rugby but has suggested his interview with the Mail on Sunday three years ago brought his time in the sport to a premature close. Burrell had described racism as being “rife” in rugby, presenting WhatsApp messages and citing examples of “jokes” from training sessions that reinforced his concerns. The story was published when Burrell was 34 and without a club – he has not represented a professional side since, with his only rugby coming for invitational outfit Barbarians on three occasions.
Speaking out about his choice to tackle racism, Burrell has made clear that he believes it resulted in an early conclusion to his playing days.
“I have absolutely had to retire because of what went on,” Burrell told BBC Sport.
“I wanted to carry on playing, of course I did. I pursued that and it fell through when word came out that there were investigations going on.
“That was difficult – I had to just accept the fate and accept that this whole process is a lot bigger than me.”
The centre began his career at Leeds Carnegie before a stint with Sale Sharks. He then spent seven years with Northampton Saints before concluding his career with a two-year period at Newcastle Falcons (now Red Bulls).
Former Saints player Burrell revealed that a Newcastle teammate had referred to him as a “slave” and suggested he apply sun cream on his wrists and ankles – “where your shackles were”. This was the trigger for Burrell to break his silence.
Burrell, who represented England at international level 15 times, told BBC Sport that he also encountered racism within the Test scene, stating that he had “several traumatic experiences” when playing for England.
Describing it as an “old school mentality”, Burrell explained that the racism would often be disguised as banter. The ex-England star admitted that over time, he accepted it as it simply became the norm.
A Rugby Football Union investigation was conducted in April 2023, following Burrell’s allegations the previous year. However, despite the claims being deemed true “on the balance of probability”, there was insufficient evidence to suggest the incidents occurred at Newcastle.
BBC have created a documentary titled ‘Luther Burrell – Rugby, Racism and Redemption’, with Burrell’s mother commending her son for speaking so candidly about his struggles.
“You should be so proud of what you have done,” she said. “I know it has had this effect on you and finished your career, but in our eyes, you have done so well. We are so proud of you and to have you as a son.”
His father, Geoff, passed away shortly after the documentary was made and his sister also died earlier this year.
His shocking revelations have spurred the RFU into a thorough examination of rugby’s culture. In a statement, they outlined their ongoing efforts to bring about change.
“The RFU has placed significant focus on inclusion and diversity in rugby union and a great deal of work undertaken both before and since Luther Burrell came forward and shared his experiences of racism and classism,” they stated.
“We are continuing work with clubs and stakeholders in the professional game to strive for a culture of inclusivity but acknowledge this takes time and is an ongoing process.”