Column: National anthems in rugby are important - so what's England's problem?
Late tomorrow evening (Friday, January 31), 22 Welshmen—some with tears doubtless streaming down their cheeks—will form a line in Paris and belt out Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau, writes Phil Hill.
Once that’s finished, 22 Frenchmen will do the same, only they’ll be blasting out La Marseillaise.
For the uninitiated, it’s the start of the 2025 Six Nations rugby tournament and the players will sing their hearts out ahead of kick-off at the Stade de France.
The following day, Scotland will host Italy, while Ireland will entertain England in the first round of the annual contest.
Again, hearts will be pumping in the players’ sizeable chests and thousands of spectators will join in the singing.
But what of those national anthems?
You can smell the players’ passion from the comfort of your armchair—apart from one of the teams, that is.
Take a look at some of the words—translated into English where necessary—and you’ll maybe understand why the anthems mean so much to five of the nations.
The Welsh will not be moved despite "the enemy" having "trampled my country underfoot".
The French ‘war song’ beckons citizens "let’s march" so the "impure blood" of invading armies (from Prussia and Austria) "should water our fields".
In Scotland, they proudly and intimidatingly sing of sending "Edward’s army" homeward to England.
Long memories, some of these nations!
The Irish and Italian teams bristle with pride as they happily spout about their great nations.
And England?
A brief song intended for the whole UK but rarely used by the Scots, Welsh, and Northern Irish.
It’s a 29-word plea to God (mentioned three times) to protect the King (name-checked four times).
The English players do their best, but it’s hardly a rousing cry such as makes the other nations’ muscly men weep.
Before the games get underway, the team they all want to beat is England.
The five other nations whip themselves up in readiness with songs from their hearts.
If they’re opposing England, the UK anthem simply stirs further emotions against the men in white.
Clearly, there are historic reasons for wanting to prune the Red Rose, but, no disrespect to King Charles or God, isn’t it time someone composed England’s own passionately worded national anthem?
