When the competition is fierce, emotions can run high, leading to heated exchanges and, in some cases, even a brawl.
This happened during a rugby match between two teams on Saturday (11 November 2023).
The two teams at the centre of this intense showdown were Oldham Rugby Club and Saints Rugby Football Club.
While the teams were playing their opening match of the season at Saint Andrew’s Village rugby pitch, the situation escalated into a brawl during the second half of the game.
The fight occurred after a player from the Saints Rugby team kicked an Oldham player who was lying motionless on the pitch
Foul Play Involved
A full video of the match was uploaded to YouTube, courtesy of CL Tay.
The footage showed that the brawl broke out during the second half of the game.
A Saints player and an Oldham player tried to catch the ball after it was kicked. Their efforts led to a collision, with both players tumbling to the ground when their heads bashed against each other.
After the collision, the Oldham player lay motionless on the pitch.
Simultaneously, the Saints player remained on the pitch, seemingly working to regain full consciousness following the impact.
Tensions took a distressing turn when a Saints player, wearing jersey No. 27, approached the Oldham player and kicked his left shoulder.
This action triggered a heated brawl involving multiple players from both sides, with members of the Oldham team particularly furious by the incident after seeing their fellow teammate getting kicked.
Amid the chaos, Oldham’s player No. 14 decided to join the brawl and threw a punch at one of the Saints players.
Yep, things got real wild. You can watch the full match here.
It was like a scene from an action movie as medics, coaches, and other folks rushed onto the field to break up the brawl and patch up any wounds.
The Oldham player who was impacted was eventually put on the stretcher and was carried off the field for some much-needed medical attention.
The referee gathered the players for a discussion before issuing red cards to Saints’ No. 27 and Oldham’s No. 14.
Despite the brawl, Oldham was leading 25-13 when the incident occurred.
Ultimately, they held onto their lead and wrapped up the match with a 28-18 victory.
Singapore Rugby Union Responds, Investigation Currently Ongoing
The Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) has officially addressed the incident, condemning the behaviour as “inexcusable”.
The SRU made this statement on Tuesday (14 November 2023).
In addition to their official statement, the SRU took to Instagram to acknowledge the brawl and assure everyone that all involved parties are safe and following recovery protocols.
In response to inquiries from The Straits Times, SRU General Manager Sidney Kumar emphasised the seriousness with which the national sports association views such incidents.
The case is currently undergoing a judicial process aligned with World Rugby protocols.
Furthermore, the organisation announced that an independent judiciary board will thoroughly review the incident under the tournament’s rules and regulations.
Refraining from disclosing the identities of the involved players due to the ongoing judicial process, Kumar said that the penalties and measures will be determined once the judicial officers have thoroughly investigated the incident.
Players Involved Appear to be Friends Off the Field
The SRU also said that it has made contact with both players involved and discovered that these players are friends off the field. Both players have expressed their apologies for the incident.
The organisation emphasised the importance of upholding the spirit of fair play and respect for opponents, both on and off the field, within the rugby community on their Instagram post.
Kumar added that the fight occurred “in the heat of the moment” and, while the brawl was unacceptable, what’s important is that the players are safe and can learn from this experience.
The national men’s league commenced on Thursday (9 November 2023) and is slated to continue until 9 March 2024.
For additional details regarding the matches and their respective schedules, you can visit the SRU’s official website.