Four teams banned for violence at beach rugby tournament
FOUR teams were disqualified from a prestigious beach rugby tournament after security had to break up brawls during matches.
Organisers of the Beach Rugby Wales tournament at Swansea Bay on Saturday say they “don’t tolerate” such behaviour on the pitch and immediately “excluded” the teams from the festival.
Brawls were filmed breaking out on the pitches during two games – one between Porth A and Wattstown, the other between Ferndale and Rhigos.
One eyewitness said: “Players were violently pushing and shoving each other, some throwing punches... Security held down some players on to the sand to calm them down. The police moved some of the aggressive players away from the fight.”
One player said on social media: “It was over as quick as it started. People blow things out of proportion.”
Police confirmed there were no arrests.
The competition is now in its 11th year and in the past has attracted players like Richard Hibbard, Shane Williams and Tommy Bowe.
Organisers say that it is the first time that they have had this sort of trouble on the pitches.
Founder Ashley Walters said: “We have not had any incidents of this sort in the whole 11 years of the competition. It is not something that we tolerate and the four teams involved were excluded immediately from the festival.
“There were more than 70 games played on the day that all passed safely and the tournament on the whole was a great success.
“After the problems on the pitch, the teams were all friends again because what happens on the sand, stays on the sand. But we are working with all the parties involved to make sure there is not a repeat of this behaviour.”
Gareth Howells, the tournament’s commercial director, said the incidents had been “blown out of proportion”.
“It was a bit of scuffle. A total of 48 teams took part in the competition, so this was only a small part of what happened on the day,” he said. “Touch rugby is a very physical game. It happens a lot.”
The tournament’s website explains: “Beach rugby is played as touch rugby, but the matches can be very physical.
“A few touch rugby teams that have previously taken part haven’t reached the pool stages due to the physicality of the competition.”
A spokesman for Wattstown rugby team said: “The club wish to not comment on the incident.”