‘This isn’t rugby’ – Jim Hamilton brands social media abuse ‘a disgrace’
Jim Hamilton has branded the rise in online abuse this Six Nations as a 'disgrace'
The shocking social media abuse meted out to Six Nations stars in the opening fortnight of the tournament has been branded a “disgrace – but not a surprise” by Jim Hamilton.
The former Scotland star says he cannot fathom the mentality of those who go after players online, due to the colour of their skin or the result of a sporting contest.
The Irish Rugby Football Union turned off comments after a post congratulating Edwin Edogbo, Cork-born to Nigerian parents, on his debut last weekend was met with racist abuse.
Ireland fly-halves Sam Prendergast and Jack Crowley were also targeted, as were England players following their Calcutta Cup loss in Scotland.
Andy Farrell called out the trolls in no uncertain terms while Ellis Genge admitted: “I f***ing hate social media. It poisons people’s minds, makes them feel invincible”.
‘This isn’t a rugby issue, it’s a social problem’
Hamilton joined the chorus of condemnation, agreeing he found it disheartening to hear of such abuse in a sport which prides itself on some pretty high values.
But he said: “Rugby prides itself on values on the field. We can’t control the chaos that’s going off the field in society. This isn’t rugby, right? This isn’t a rugby issue, it’s a social problem.
“Am I surprised to see the comments taken off Edwin Edogbo? No. No, I’m not. They are a disgrace. But that is a snapshot, not of rugby, but of the society we find ourselves in.
“Social media can be great. It can be really good. It can raise profile, it can get into new audiences, new fans, instantaneous reactions.
“But it can also be a cesspit. Everyone has an opinion. Everyone thinks they know this and they know that and what’s good and what’s bad and what have you.
“It’s absolutely important for rugby to call these comments out – and we will – but it shouldn’t need me or anyone else to say, ‘We shouldn’t have this in our game?’ It’s obvious, right? It’s ridiculous in this day and age that we’re even speaking about it.”
Hamilton added: “As the game of rugby grows, it’s being watched by more people. That is to be welcomed, but with the good, as we’ve seen in other sports, comes the bad.”
Football discovered that to its cost, for the umpteenth time on Tuesday night when Real Madrid’s Brazilian star Vinicius Junior tearfully accused Gianluca Prestianni of hurling racist insults at him, an allegation the Benfica player denied.
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Three days earlier, Ireland’s rugby team narrowly beat Italy in Dublin. As the side’s playmakers, Prendergast and Crowley found themselves copping a lot of flak.
“I just don’t get it,” said Hamilton, who will lead Premier Sports’ coverage of Wales-Scotland in Cardiff this Saturday evening.
“From an Ireland perspective, they’re struggling at the minute because they’re not producing what the expectation is from the fans.
“They’re not on the front foot, and you can’t judge any nine or 10 when your forwards are struggling around the physicality, around the gain line.
“Yet your go-to is, ‘Is Sam Prendergast good enough?’ I just think that is so harsh.
“I just don’t get how you’ve got a young 10 coming through who is a wicked talent, yet your own fans start trying to bring him down because of whatever.. whether or not it is because of the red of Munster and the blue of Leinster, or there’s a genuine belief they don’t think this lad is good enough.
‘If I were him, I don’t know how I’d deal with it’
“Sport in this country and in Ireland, to a degree, is always about what you’re not good at.
“Whereas I look at Prendergast and see a young player that’s come through the system, who’s been fast-tracked because one of the best coaches in the world in Andy Farrell has seen something in him.
“Some of the stuff he’s produced, at a tender age, in a position where there’s such scrutiny, especially in Ireland, because of the great 10s they’ve had, has been incredible.
“If I were him, I don’t know how I’d deal with it. I would struggle. I just hope they’ve got people that can pull him away from the social aspect of social media and everything that’s going on in that.”
Jim Hamilton is part of the Premier Sports team bringing live Guinness Men’s Six Nations Rugby to rugby fans across the UK – broadcasting one live match per round throughout the 2026 Championship, as the home of elite rugby which includes EPCR rugby, Top 14, URC, MRL from the USA and Japan League One. This Saturday join Jim Hamilton, Ryan Wilson, Tom Shanklin, Rory Lawson and Ryle Nugent at the Principality Stadium for Wales v Scotland on Premier Sports 1 and Premier Sports Rugby from 4pm. To join in visit www.premiersports.com from £11.99 a month.