Strong language

I was disappointed that Lara Walsh and her boyfriend (Letters, 3 March) were treated with rudeness in an Edinburgh pub while he was supporting England in last weekend's rugby match, but racism is a strong word for it.

It is worthy of note that God Save the Queen is not the English national anthem but the national anthem for the UK. It's not racism to hope that your oldest rivals don't win against another of the rugby Six Nations.

It might, however, be racist not to play The Soldiers Song for the Irish team at the three UK grounds, replacing it with the less emotive Ireland's Call.

GEORGE WHITE

Couston Street

Dunfermline