Maggie Alphonsi Really Needs To Get Over Herself

The feminisation of everything

So here’s a - female - commentator upon the noble thuggery of rugby:

I can read sexist and misogynistic comments about me on social media and not let them get to me. As a female broadcaster who has spent the past decade working in rugby, you quickly develop a thick skin.

OK, that seems fair. You’ve entered rugby’s world after all.

So you can imagine how extremely disappointed I was when I learnt that Matthew Smith, an RFU council member, posted misogynistic remarks about me on social media earlier this year. Having stepped down from the council myself last July after serving a nine-year term, this felt more than that. It felt like a betrayal.

Gosh.

I am thankful that the RFU followed a diligent process and sanctioned Smith for his discriminatory behaviour. I want to be clear about that. Ten years ago, nobody would have batted an eyelid at a council member posting sexist or misogynistic comments, and it would not have been investigated. But times have changed, society has changed and the landscape of rugby is changing.

Smith was handed a seven-month ban by the disciplinary panel, meaning he cannot set foot in the Allianz Stadium any time soon or dine out on the hospitality regularly afforded to council members. In essence, he has been stripped of the perks that come with the job.

So, this is rugby.

You will have to click through for that. Now, that level of violence is unusual. Something rather below that - fists flying around for 20 seconds - is known as “handbags” and if it’s a couple of grown men throwing punches the game proceeds. If it’s someone thumping a lad on the ground, or cold cocking them unawares, then that’s a penalty and punishment follows.

Even that level of violence in that clip is regarded as fair game - not, quite, fair play, but fair game. The South African team was known for playing more than a little dirty at the time so the idea that the visitors, the guys in red there, might collectively rise up and punch everyone was seen as a useful tactic. That No 15 there, by the way, JPR Williams, became one of the leading orthopaedic surgeons of the nation.

Oh, and, yes, back then this was all an amateur game. This was all being done simply for the fun of it.

So we’ve got something that’s pretty male-coded. You know, one of those bits of life where boys get to be boys. Which is fine, obviously, there are areas of life where boys and their behaviour aren’t quite the thing. Say, an Arianna Swift or Taylor Grande concert.

So, what’s this gross misogyny being complained of? The thing that’s beyond even the pale of rugby?

Smith wrote on Facebook: “Can someone explain to me WTF [what the f---] does Maggie Alphonsi know about men’s rugby?”

That’s actually it. That’s all that was said.

At which point Ms. Alphonsi really needs to get over herself. Robust criticism is not misogyny. And given how rugby works complaining that it is is to near entirely miss the point of the game in the first place.

Jeebus on ‘is pogo stick does absolutely everything have to be feminised?