The Exeter chairman insists ‘there’s nothing racist’ about the club’s disputed nickname but says members will be invited to have their say in November
Alongside Tony Rowe’s office desk in Exeter sits a black box-file stuffed with letters. “See that there,” he says, slapping it with his right hand. “That’s 10,000 people who wrote in support two years ago. There were 6,000 against it but I even have correspondence in support of us from people who represent Native
American tribes. They’re warriors and we admire their guts and determination. We modelled ourselves on them.”
Welcome to the debate currently swirling around the saloons of Devon and beyond. This week’s strong statement from Wasps, urging the Rugby
Football Union to consider a ban on fans wearing Native American headdresses and standing firm against cultural appropriation – “the act of taking or using things from a culture that is not your own” – has further upped the ante and ruffled feathers at Sandy Park. If the Chiefs’ visit to Coventry promises much on the field, it could be even livelier in the boardroom.