Rugby brawls happen. That’s just a part of the sport. You can’t have athletes running around for 80 minutes with adrenaline coursing through their veins and facing the same players over and over and over again without some possibility of things escalating. A beach touch-rugby tournament in Wales was the latest scene of rugby violence, and the fight is the smallest, most insignificant part of this video.
The real star is the commentator, who decided to call the whole thing live and try his darndest to get everyone to calm down ... it didn’t work.
"[fighting begins] Oh! Oh, oh, oh! Boys, calm down boys! [punch is thrown] Oh! Oi, oi, oi, oi, oi. Calm down, eh? You will be expelled from the tournament if you continue. Boys! Security on the pitch please. [more punching] Security on the pitch. Teams, this is only touch. I know it’s physical touch, but that’s a bit too physical. Alright? It’s not going to be tolerated. Two team captains up here please. Referee on the pitch now please. Also, thank you. [new round of punching] Oh, oh, oh, oh. Sort ‘em out please! If this continues boys we will not have beach rugby next year. The council will not leave us. So, right. That’s what down then, Paul. Kicked out. Awaiting the referee’s decision. Come on boys, it’s very disappointing. "
This Welsh commentator is what the fight world needs. He provides backstory (like the council shutting the tournament down), he lets the crowd knows what’s happening and appeals directly to the fighters themselves. This commentator’s work may have been pointless, but he tried -- and that’s all that matters.
Wait ... why is one team dressed like Captain America?