Has Clubb said that or are people guessing at it? I can believe that to be fair. I've been accused of something similar on the pitch (I told an overweight player to 'get back to me' and he reported that I had said 'get back tubby'). I hope this is what has happened.

It's a shame it happened and all the attention is on this instead of a tough game between two great clubs.

Admit it, you said tubby didn't you?

I am not sure he even knew it was racist - if he did say what has been alleged- I have had to explain to multiple people today how it is classed as such as they didn't think it was. It was only when I explained that specifically referring to this man's heritage and race in a pejorative manner was actually insulting him and his race that they understood, some even then thought it was still not a racist remark That's the insidious side of racism, it has been ingrained in society for so long that what was probably not meant to be racist, said by a guy who may not think it is racist, is actually just that. A lot of the fans I work with struggled to understand at first, why that remark is not acceptable, so the intent to be racist may not have been there in what a guy thought was a throwaway remark to wind up his opponent. and that is why education is so important to eradicate racism, both intentional and unintentional.

I’m saying that xenophobia isn’t frowned upon like racism, if anything it’s encouraged in some environments. With regards to slavery I’m not sure it has much bearing, if you called an Asian person a p**i that would be just as offensive and to my knowledge that derogatory term has no links to slavery.

In any other situation, I'd agree with your assessment.
However given the nature of the allegation in these current times?
And I have to say, as an employer myself, I'm slightly concerned by the voracity of the club's joint statement.
That's something you wouldn't normally expect to see PRE investigation.
Afterwards, if case proven? Absolutely fine to send out a clear message.
But before one even takes place?
Very unusual ... Some might even say prejudicial.
Although not totally unexpected, given the timing of it.

Just playing devils advocate here. If the Andre Savelio was born in NZ, raised in the UK, and hasn't played international football, does anyone know what nationality he is? On that basis is calling him Polynesian vastly different from a Frenchman being called a European this or that if you are genuinely unsure of someone's nationality? I have never seen Polynesian as a racist word, nor a slur, but maybe people are still in that guessing phase on what was said. Pom or Pommy is an ethnic slur apparently these days, but Poly isn't.

I don't get your point. I agree that saying those things about Asian people wouldn't be OK either.

No way, if I pick on anyone, it certainly isn't prop forwards

Yet you keep trying my patience and I make Feka look like Willie Peters

But your nationality isn’t your race that’s what people are getting confused with (although it maybe is confusing xenophobia is accepted on the whole and racism isn’t). If he’d have called him a New Zealand or English I don’t think we’d be having this conversation.
I also agree that Polynesian isn’t a racist word, but sandwiched between stupid and c**t it brings on another meaning like putting any other accepted name for a race in between.

Just wonder what your Polynesian coach Lam thinks about it
Cant see Clubb playing for your club again

I would suggest that Polynesian is a race of people. I've googled it and it's a bit ambiguous but the general feeling is it's a race.

If he did say it I would hope it's out of pure ignorance to the fact that it's a race of people rather than a nationality. Like has already been said, if he'd called him a "Stupid Kiwi C@@t" then there's perhaps nothing to see here.

You have nailed it there CobraCraig, that is the point that many of the fellow Hull fans I work with couldn't grasp. Education is vital to beat racism, it has deep rooted generational origins in our society and people do not actually think racist remarks , they do however soeak them, often not realising that fact. Possibly Clubb was doing just that and never intended it to be anything other than a throwaway off the cuff remark, with the C word being the basis of his insult?

It probably is an off the cuff remark said without any thought. I doubt he’s meant it and I doubt even more he’s the slightest bit racist. His colours would have shown long ago if that were the case IMHO.

But there’s no hiding from it. Whether it’s racist/xenophobic or whatever matters not. The crux of the matter is is that it’s totally abhorrent on every level and needs stamping out of society in general. It may not seem the worst slur in the world but if he gets away with this, someone else thinks it’s okay to call someone else a “Pakistani [insert slur here”. The game and sport can’t just concentrate on serious racial slurs, it has to be stamped out at low level and dealt with harshly. By doing so it sets an example and makes those really, really horrible slurs less and less (I’m not saying this isn’t horrible or trying to judge it’s level BTW).

I have to say that, having seen that, it sounds a far more likely thing to say. I thought the use of the word Polynesian strange as I've never heard it used in a derogatory way...well, not in the UK at least. Obviously we don't know and anything is possible. I guess we'll find out soon enough.

You may not realise it, but we have met. You are vast, but in no way intimidating

Seems to have a great relationship with Clubb in fairness, so he’ll probably see it for what it is and that’s a mistake the bloke will be punished for. Decent people make mistakes in life every single day and presuming it’s true, then Clubb has made one. You can see from reading this thread what an absolute minefield the whole race issue has become. Am I surprised a rugby player may not be quite on top of what is and isn’t deemed acceptable in today’s society? Not at all but maybe the game can help him and other players by educating them.

His future at Wigan may well be in the balance. I await the ‘we dumped him because he’s rubbish’ debate with glee.

It's not 'Polynesian' that was used pejoratively it was the word used in conjunction with the ones either side of it,

It's also quite a stretch to think that Savelio missed heard Clubb saying "You put your knees in..."

I've just watched the game back. For the first 15 mins I watched Clubb and Savellio (yes I'm sad). Savellio doesn't do anything unusual with his knees during that time and his knees aren't near Clubb during the tackle where they come together. Has Clubb actually claimed this, or is a fan just putting forward a possible excuse? Having watched the circumstances back, I don't buy it at all.

Nah, absolutely nothing official.
Comment made on another RL Forum that seemed like a reasonable 'alternative' explanation, amidst all the online clamour to simply brand Clubby guilty out of hand.
Hopefully the club will follow correct investigation protocols now & not be swayed by all the outsider 'noise'.
Clubby must have the right to respond without prejudice &"whatever comes of that is fine by me.

I think Clubb's brain couldn't work out what nationality he was and went up to the next thing ie, North of England, England, Great Britain, Europe, Northern Hemisphere, Earth or NZ, Polynesia, Southern Hemisphere, Earth. If he said feckin instead of Polynesian there is no issue, but given the respect on and off the field in our game for people from that part of the world, and it is not a slur outside the game, I'm not sure Clubb is using the world Polynesian to do anything but drive it home that it is aimed at Savelio, and that stupid and the c word are meant to be the offensive bits in his verbal attack.

Where was this then

Polynesians are an ethnic group, as Europeans would be considered to meet the definition of an ethnic group. I don't condone abuse of anyone, but given that it's not a slur, we respect the various Polynesian cultures, and there is a deep on-field respect for people from Polynesian countries, and heritage, it doesn't seem like intentional racism. I genuinely think Clubby doesn't know whether Savelio is English or a Kiwi, and settles on vague. Trying to get inside the mind of a prop-forward is not the easiest, but I hope that there is no intent, that he can learn about nations, ethnic groups, races and why it is best to steer clear of using identifiers in-between the bits that are meant to be the insult.

As I said, I don't know either way. Merely commenting that 'Polynesian' seems a very strange slur coming from an Englishman. I've literally never come across it as a slur in any way, shape or form in this country and I'm willing to bet neither have you or anyone else on this board. An odd choice if true but not beyond the realms of possibility.

I'm not even sure it's a slur anywhere else in the world for that matter. I've spent time in Australia and New Zealand and I never heard it there either. Don't get me wrong, I'm not excusing it if it was used. I'm sure Clubb will be dealt with appropriately if that's the case and rightly so.