--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: He was a professional rugby player in the…" description: "\"He was a professional rugby player in the area that I played as a youngster. So a lot of people who I went to school with knew who he was and knew that..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/ryan-giggs-13908_black_he-was-a-professional-rugby-player-in-th_1156236.jpg" --- # He was a professional rugby player in the area that I… ![“He was a professional rugby player in the area that I played as a youngster. So a lot of people who I went to school with knew who he was and knew that he was black. So I would get racist taunts in school.” quote by Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/ryan-giggs-13908_black_he-was-a-professional-rugby-player-in-th_1156236.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/ryan-giggs-13908_black_he-was-a-professional-rugby-player-in-th_1156236.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/d56/ryan-giggs-13908_black_he-was-a-professional-rugby-player-in-th_1156236.jpg) > “He was a professional rugby player in the area that I played as a youngster. So a lot of people who I went to school with knew who he was and knew that he was black. So I would get racist taunts in school.” [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Facing racism, he learned resilience and used his platform to speak against prejudice. **In simple terms:** Racism challenged him, but he persisted. Key Takeaway Stand against hate and stay resilient. Themes racism resilience identity Mood reflective determined Type personal social When to use this quote - school environment - sports team - public speaking - community activism Key Concepts social justice personal strength Questions to Reflect On - How can you support those facing discrimination? - What role can sports play in social change? A Different Perspective Changing deep‑seated attitudes is a long process. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black/) [Black Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/black-racist-323802/) [Inspirational](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspirational/) [Knew Black](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/knew-black-651916/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/player/) [Racist](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist/) [Racist Taunts](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/racist-taunts-3290669/) [Rugby](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rugby/) [Rugby Player](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/rugby-player-1163995/) [School](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/school/) [Taunting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/taunting/) [Youngsters](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/youngsters/) ## Related quotes > [I don't consider myself to be a racist, but to me there's not much difference between a black racist or a white racist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daryl-davis/i-don-t-consider-myself-to-be-a-racist-but-to-me-there-s-not-much/) [Daryl Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daryl-davis/) > [Where I grew up, people obviously knew my dad because it's a small place and he was the top player for Swinton - they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/where-i-grew-up-people-obviously-knew-my-dad-because-it-s-a-small/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [“But she knew the black hole pulled at you. You stand up to it, or you go down.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/charles-frazier/but-she-knew-the-black-hole-pulled-at-you-you-stand-up-to-it-or-you/) [Charles Frazier](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/charles-frazier/) > [I knew that there were black people in Africa, of course, unfortunately because of movies such as 'Tarzan.'](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/henry-louis-gates/i-knew-that-there-were-black-people-in-africa-of-course-unfortunately/) [Henry Louis Gates](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/henry-louis-gates/) > [I would say I'm black because my parents said I'm black. I'm black because my mother's black. I'm black because I grew up in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/soledad-o-brien/i-would-say-i-m-black-because-my-parents-said-i-m-black-i-m-black/) [Soledad O'Brien](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/soledad-o-brien/) > [“I knew, and every black man there knew, that I, as a man now white once again, could say the things that needed saying…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-howard-griffin/i-knew-and-every-black-man-there-knew-that-i-as-a-man-now-white-once/) [John Howard Griffin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-howard-griffin/) > [Growing up, my mom always knew that I was more on the Black side than the Spanish side, just because I didn't speak Spanish.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rico-nasty/growing-up-my-mom-always-knew-that-i-was-more-on-the-black-side-than/) [Rico Nasty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rico-nasty/) > [I never really had to put much thought into my race, and neither did anybody else. I knew I was black. I knew there…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/issa-rae/i-never-really-had-to-put-much-thought-into-my-race-and-neither-did/) [Issa Rae](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/issa-rae/) > [I had my footballing heroes such as Bryan Robson and Diego Maradona but my dad was a rugby league star, and he was my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/i-had-my-footballing-heroes-such-as-bryan-robson-and-diego-maradona/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [As a rugby player, you strive to be an All Black, win a World Cup, and win a Super Rugby title.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sonny-bill-williams/as-a-rugby-player-you-strive-to-be-an-all-black-win-a-world-cup-and/) [Sonny Bill Williams](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sonny-bill-williams/) > [“I could've been a professional rugby player... but then I saw a new Gaunt's Ghosts book come out...”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-charles-scott/i-could-ve-been-a-professional-rugby-player-but-then-i-saw-a-new/) [John Charles Scott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-charles-scott/) > [“The width of neck and shoulder suggested a rugby player, the broken nose confirmed it. Which shows just how wrong you can be as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/spike-milligan/the-width-of-neck-and-shoulder-suggested-a-rugby-player-the-broken/) [Spike Milligan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/spike-milligan/) > [I am a rugby player and first and foremost I am a man.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gareth-thomas/i-am-a-rugby-player-and-first-and-foremost-i-am-a-man/) [Gareth Thomas](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gareth-thomas/) > [I was a rugby player, I was a hockey player. You know, I just love to challenge myself, and I love to compete.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jason-priestley/i-was-a-rugby-player-i-was-a-hockey-player-you-know-i-just-love-to/) [Jason Priestley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jason-priestley/) > [“No rugby player, no matter how talented, has ever won a game by playing alone.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ben-hunt-davis/no-rugby-player-no-matter-how-talented-has-ever-won-a-game-by-playing/) [Ben Hunt-Davis](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ben-hunt-davis/) ## More by Ryan Giggs > [It's not just the players, it's the culture. Sometimes it's the people around them; the people who are looking after them - the money…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/it-s-not-just-the-players-it-s-the-culture-sometimes-it-s-the-people/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [You get yourself prepared for a big game, you get yourself up for it. Then afterwards you don't sleep or eat properly.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/you-get-yourself-prepared-for-a-big-game-you-get-yourself-up-for-it/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [What you've got to realise is that footballers, and me in particular, have seen everything in the changing room. Everything. I've seen the manager…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/what-you-ve-got-to-realise-is-that-footballers-and-me-in-particular/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [All players have 'ordinary' periods in their career and it's hard to explain why. So at these times, its all about self belief, hard…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/all-players-have-ordinary-periods-in-their-career-and-it-s-hard-to/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [I have played with some great players during my time at United but I would have to put Paul Scholes down as the best.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/i-have-played-with-some-great-players-during-my-time-at-united-but-i/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [Every one is special. Especially after the disappointment of last year, losing out on the last day, it is a great achievement by the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/every-one-is-special-especially-after-the-disappointment-of-last-year/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [There's never been completion in my football career because I've always been striving for that next thing. You listen to people who have finished…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/there-s-never-been-completion-in-my-football-career-because-i-ve/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [Many players want to make as much money as they can and change teams for ten grand. How is that going to make much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/many-players-want-to-make-as-much-money-as-they-can-and-change-teams/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [There's never been completion in my football career because I've always been striving for that next thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/there-s-never-been-completion-in-my-football-career-because-i-ve-2/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [Where I grew up, people obviously knew my dad because it's a small place and he was the top player for Swinton - they'd…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/where-i-grew-up-people-obviously-knew-my-dad-because-it-s-a-small/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [Where does it stop? You get offered money for your wedding, then for your kids, new houses, holidays... We earn enough from football and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/where-does-it-stop-you-get-offered-money-for-your-wedding-then-for/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [When Cristiano Ronaldo gets the ball, you can just leave him to it while he beats player after player.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/when-cristiano-ronaldo-gets-the-ball-you-can-just-leave-him-to-it/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [I've always had people come up to me to say that they admire the way I play, and then they tell me they're not…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/i-ve-always-had-people-come-up-to-me-to-say-that-they-admire-the-way/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [When you lose a game or don't play well you can't wait for the next one, because it soon disappears, the disappointment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/when-you-lose-a-game-or-don-t-play-well-you-can-t-wait-for-the-next/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) > [Ander is a fantastic young player, with great energy and creativity. We believe him to be one of the brightest young prospects in Spain…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ryan-giggs/ander-is-a-fantastic-young-player-with-great-energy-and-creativity-we/) [Ryan Giggs](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) [Explore all 48 Ryan Giggs quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ryan-giggs/) ## More Black quotes > [I wanted to write about voodoo tradition that I feel has been very important to survival of black people here: people of the African…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jesmyn-ward/i-wanted-to-write-about-voodoo-tradition-that-i-feel-has-been-very/) [Jesmyn Ward](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jesmyn-ward/) > [When you go to a club it's not about being black or white or heavy or thick. I'm shaking my ass because I want…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miley-cyrus/when-you-go-to-a-club-it-s-not-about-being-black-or-white-or-heavy-or/) [Miley Cyrus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miley-cyrus/) > [The vision of the left, full of envy and resentment, takes its worst toll on those at the bottom - whether black or white…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-sowell/the-vision-of-the-left-full-of-envy-and-resentment-takes-its-worst/) [Thomas Sowell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-sowell/) > [When you're scared - and I mean really scared, not just hearing a noise in the night, or standing toe to toe with someone…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alexander-gordon-smith/when-you-re-scared-and-i-mean-really-scared-not-just-hearing-a-noise/) [Alexander Gordon Smith](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alexander-gordon-smith/) > [The term "black metal" has become a lot looser, or can include a larger range of sounds and extra-musical aesthetics, not just Satan and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/colin-marston/the-term-black-metal-has-become-a-lot-looser-or-can-include-a-larger/) [Colin Marston](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/colin-marston/) > [How can you be more subject; black woman in a white man's world?](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/maureen-duffy/how-can-you-be-more-subject-black-woman-in-a-white-man-s-world/) [Maureen Duffy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/maureen-duffy/) > [We have to build our own power. We have to win every single political office we can, where we have a majority of black…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/fannie-lou-hamer/we-have-to-build-our-own-power-we-have-to-win-every-single-political/) [Fannie Lou Hamer](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/fannie-lou-hamer/) > [There is only one party in the United States, the Property Party...and it has two right wings: Republican and Democrat. Republicans are a bit…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gore-vidal/there-is-only-one-party-in-the-united-states-the-property-party-and/) [Gore Vidal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gore-vidal/) > [Black music has always known, and not been afraid to acknowledge just how high the stakes of Black thought are. To summarize the final…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/frank-b-wilderson-iii/black-music-has-always-known-and-not-been-afraid-to-acknowledge-just/) [Frank B. Wilderson III](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/frank-b-wilderson-iii/) > [I know how hard it is to be a woman, especially a black woman.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mike-tyson/i-know-how-hard-it-is-to-be-a-woman-especially-a-black-woman/) [Mike Tyson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mike-tyson/) > [If soot stains your tunic, dye it black. This is vengeance.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/r-scott-bakker/if-soot-stains-your-tunic-dye-it-black-this-is-vengeance/) [R. Scott Bakker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/r-scott-bakker/) > [Hollywood is so fixated on keeping it that way because it's generating the buzz, but that representation isn't right. 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