Could the England rugby team be singing a different anthem at matches at some point in the future? This has become a hot point of conversation in the House of Commons, where the matter is set to be discussed in full after a bill has been agreed for a second reading. What is interesting about these pre-game rituals is that they begin to form a part of the identity of the team much as branding does to a business. You could say that the songs sung and uniform worn by sports teams creates a part of their image and therefore their overall branding. A Branding Agency such as http://www.reallyhelpfulmarketing.co.uk/services/brand-development-gloucester/ will work closely with businesses to identify all the ways in which their brand can be developed and this may include items such as staff uniforms and the kinds of music that is played in a shop.

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The Bill Proposal

According to a recent news report from Sky Sports, the MP for Chesterfield, Toby Perkins, is hoping to push through a bill that will see the England rugby team follow in the footsteps of the Scottish and Welsh teams in singing an alternative national anthem rather than the popular British anthem God Save the Queen.

God Save the Queen is currently the chosen anthem that is sung any time England play a rugby game, despite it being the official anthem for the whole of Great Britain. When the Scotland rugby team play, they sing Flower of Scotland instead, which is the country’s unofficial anthem. The Welsh team currently sing Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau.

MP Toby Perkins said: “It’s not an attack on the royal family or the union of Britain, it’s just saying when we play as Britain we’ll sing the anthem of Britain, but when we play as England, let’s sing as England. It’s started a national conversation, and what we now need to see is an opportunity for the people of England to have their voice heard.”

Alternative Anthems

Ideas for an alternative anthem include Jerusalem, There’ll Always Be an England, and I Vow Thee to My Country. However, former England midfielder Alan Mullery does not agree with the idea of changing the anthem. He said: “Go to Wembley for the next home game and see what it’s like when they’re doing God Save The Queen. It’s fantastic, it really hits people.”

The bill was examined and will be discussed in much more detail at the second reading. In the meantime, the England rugby team continues to prepare Branding Agency for their games and are undoubtedly undergoing some serious rugby training to get themselves match fit.

The anthem that the England rugby team will be singing at international matches in the future is currently up in the air, and until a decision has been reached, we can expect to continue hearing God Save the Queen sung out across the stadium.