Australian rugby league star Reece Walsh responded with humour and grace after copping homophobic and vile abuse from a small group of English fans during the Kangaroos’ 14–4 victory over England at Hill Dickinson Stadium.
Late in the match, Walsh was shown a yellow card by referee Grant Atkins, forcing him to sit out the remaining 14 minutes. Unlike the NRL, where sin-binned players retreat to the dressing room, Walsh took a seat on the sideline—just metres from a section of vocal English supporters.
There, he endured a barrage of offensive remarks, including homophobic slurs, being called a “bastard”, and being mocked for wearing nail polish. Despite the abuse, Walsh refused to retaliate with negativity.
Instead, he flashed a smile and delivered a witty response, asking one of the hecklers, “Are you still a virgin?”—a comment that drew laughter from nearby fans.
“Some of the things that they were saying were pretty crazy,” Walsh said after the match.
“But I’m one of those guys, if you’re going to give it, you’re going to receive it.”
Popular with Fans, Despite the Hate
While a small group aimed abuse at the 21-year-old fullback, Walsh remained a fan favourite among the majority of English supporters—particularly younger fans—who’ve embraced his star power and showmanship on the international stage.
“You hear all these things about the game not being as strong over here, so just to be able to come out here and bring eyes to the sport, that’s what we want to do,” he said.
“We want to grow our game… 22 years [since the last Ashes tour] is way too long. We’ve got to keep growing the game and bringing people from near and far.”
Kangaroos Celebrate Series Victory
After sealing the series win, Kangaroos coach Kevin Walters rewarded his players with a three-day break in Edinburgh, allowing them to unwind before preparing for the final Test.
The squad had originally planned to travel to Leeds to prepare, but Walters, in consultation with captain Isaah Yeo, decided the players had earned time off following their dominant performance.
Despite the series already secured, Walsh insists the job isn’t done.
“It’s not wrapped up yet, we still have one game to go,” he said.
“If you look at the teams that go down in history, they’re the ones who are ruthless… we’re going to work really hard to go for the jugular.”
A Career on the Rise
The Ashes series win caps off a stellar few weeks for Walsh, who has now helped lead both the Brisbane Broncos and the national team to trophy success.
“It’s pretty crazy. I don’t feel like I’ve had the time to sit and reflect,” he said.
“I’ve just been on the go for the last six, seven weeks… I’m really looking forward to finishing off this campaign and then getting home to settle with my family.”
After a challenging 2024 season, Walsh says he’s focused on growth, consistency and maturity as he heads into the prime of his career.
“It’s just keeping myself honest, mate.
I’m still in my early 20s… just being in teams like this, you see the best players in the world and how they train, how they carry themselves.
Sometimes I can get caught up in ‘next job, next job’, instead of just appreciating where I am.”
