‘Have a day off’: Former England flanker James Haskell blunders into a row over ‘disrespecting’ women’s rugby after denying claims he’d ignored Rocky Clark in a list of most-capped forwards
- James Haskell is in hot water after accusations of ‘disrespecting’ women’s rugby
- The former England flanker made a list of the most-capped front-row forwards
- But he left off women’s player Rocky Clark, and was then corrected by Simi Pam
- Haskell replied ‘have a day off’ but was criticised for his patronising comments
James Haskell is in hot water after being accused of ‘disrespecting’ women’s rugby in an online row.
The former England back-rower told Bristol Bears star Simi Pam to ‘have a day off’ when she corrected his social media post listing the most-capped front-rowers for the country.
In an Instagram post by his ‘The Good, The Bad and The Rugby’ podcast on Sunday, Haskell put Jason Leonard, the most-capped men’s player with 114, top of the list rather than former women’s star Rocky Clark, who has 137.
James Haskell (above) has blundered into an online row about ‘disrespecting’ women’s rugby
The former England flanker saw his social media post listing the most-capped front-rowers for the country corrected after it had Jason Leonard (right) as first rather than Rocky Clark (left)
Pam said the graphic should have had the word ‘male’ included or directly referenced Clark, who represented her country in four World Cup tournaments in a decade-long career, winning the 2014 competition.
She posted: ‘I think you meant to say “most England caps – MALE front row forwards”. Please stop disrespecting the women like this. Because the way you’ve named this list, we know Rocky Clark tops it. Please do better @goodbadrugby’.
Ex-Wasps stalwart Haskell, infamous for his controversial opinions, quickly shot back: ‘@simipam have a day off.’
Haskell told Bristol Bears prop Simi Pam to ‘have a day off’ but was criticised for his response
Pam (above), who works full-time as a doctor as well as playing rugby and worked in Bristol hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic, called the 37-year-old’s comment ‘disappointing’
Pam, who has a full-time job as a doctor and worked in Bristol hospitals during the coronavirus pandemic, called his reply ‘disappointing’.
But when other users agreed with Pam, who will represent Bristol as they face Exeter in the Premier 15s semi-final on Sunday, the 37-year-old deleted his comment and replaced it with an amended post.
That post claimed he personally has done ‘more for the growth of the women’s game than anyone’, ostensibly via his spin-off podcast on women’s rugby ‘The Good, The Scaz and the Rugby’ which began last year and is co-hosted by England star Emily Scarratt and former England back Mike Tindall.
Pam responded: ‘As someone who has been a guest on your spin off show @goodscazrugby, hearing that this is how you respond to being corrected for a mistake is very telling.
‘I won’t have a day off – why don’t you just do better and stop disrespecting your female fan base and their role models?’
Clark responded jokingly, writing: ‘The way @rockyclark looks at @jameshaskell when they leave her out of the most capped front row list’ with a picture of ex-England captain Dylan Hartley frowning at international team-mate Steve Thompson.
Former England forward Neil Back stepped in to defend Haskell and the initial list. He wrote on Twitter: ‘I look at this @GoodBadRugby post & think “Most England Caps” in the mens [sic] game as the top capped men are listed & men are in the pic?!
‘If they had posted ‘Most England Caps’ & listed the top capped women with women in the picture I wouldn’t have thought, why aren’t men listed.’
England international Shaunagh Brown also replied to Clark’s tweet, saying: ‘Got to laugh otherwise we’d cry. Women being overlooked AGAIN. It’s just our everyday isn’t it. And heaven forbid anyone points it out.’