As if it wasn’t enough to tear each other limb from limb during a match, rugby players love nothing more than to get involved with some serious face pounding action. Here are 10 of my personal favourite clips.
#10 – The French
What I particularly enjoyed about this clip is the variety of fighting styles on display. Check out number 14 in the red shirt going for an old style pummeling before being slam-dunked with a flying headlock.
#9 – The Cameraman
Its the classic cameraman getting caught up in the middle. The fight itself sees some nice punches in a more traditional ‘hand-bags at ten paces’ kind of scrap. The smug bastard in the studio at the end is also worth a mention.
#8 – The Sneaky Pummeling
If ever there’s a reason that video evidence should be used in all sports, here it is. A guy mysteriously has his eye gashed open but nobody knows how it happened. Fortunately, the referee in the stands is on hand to unmask the brutal swine!
#7 – The Clean KO
We’re in the Czech Republic for our next bout and one of the cleanest knockdowns in the history of Rugby Fighting. This guy thinks he’s got it all under control but a few seconds later he’s eating grass. Bam! The fact the scrap then spills over into the crowd is just an added bonus.
#6 – The Kids
No, no, these kids don’t know how to Rugby Scrap at all. Full of half punches without any real malice. Some nice slow motion shots though and I also enjoy how the fat kid tries to pick on the little guy, only to back off when his significantly larger friend rocks up!
#5 – The Old Skool
Back in 1980, men of rugby really knew how to thrown down. Its mullets at ten paces here and some really sweet punches thrown, particularly towards the end.
#4 – The Fast Starter
This is totally unacceptable rugby scrap etiquette. The game is barely ten seconds old when this dude takes matters into his own hands with a sweet clothesline.
#3 – The Mysterious Laughing Woman
I really enjoy the woman who seems to think its hilarious that someones son just got sent down with a jaw shattering right hook. Maybe it was her son. Maybe she just didn’t give a shit. Maybe that son of a bitch just wouldn’t clean his room and he got what was coming. Thanks mom!
#2 – The Boss
What would a top ten rugby scraps be without Martin Johnson involved? Here we see a textbook elbow to the face followed by a clean uppercut. Just beautiful. Brings a tear to my eye.
#1 – The Grinning Idiot
All hell breaks loose here and one poor sod gets wedged in between the advertisement boards. But its OK, he sees the funny side of it all. I also enjoy how the referee makes sure he gets a good long look before doing precisely nothing to put an end to the chaos.
I hope you enjoyed my bone crunching run down of some of the best, worst and strangest rugby fights. If you’ve got your own scrap you’d like to see published on the site, please get in touch via the contact form.