Club rugby and Schools rugby ball-placed-on-kicking-tee Gallo Images. Referee attacked

The ball placed on a kicking tee. Photo: Gallo Images.

Thuggery continues in club rugby as fan stabs player on the field

Club rugby is making headlines for all the wrong reasons again as angry pitch-invading fan STABS player in shocking incident.

Club rugby and Schools rugby ball-placed-on-kicking-tee Gallo Images. Referee attacked

The ball placed on a kicking tee. Photo: Gallo Images.

A Boland-registered player was reportedly stabbed on the field by a spectator during a League A club rugby match between Never Despair and Porterville this past Saturday.

According to a report on News24, the attack occurred at Never Despair’s home ground, the Alfa Street Stadium in Malmesbury.

The fan allegedly attacked the player at the half-time interval before being pursued by players and detained, and subsequently arrested.

The match was called off, and the injured player is understood to have been discharged from hospital on Sunday.

BOLAND RUGBY UNION CONDEMNS CLUB RUGBY INCIDENT

“The Boland Rugby Union mourns the shocking incident during a League A match between Never Despair and Porterville at the Alfa Street Stadium in Malmesbury, where a player from the home club [Never Despair] was stabbed with a knife on the field during the half-time break,” read a Boland Rugby Union statement.

ALSO READ: SA Rugby condemns hot-headed thugs in club rugby

“The union immediately reached out to the Never Despair rugby community to assist in any way possible. The chairman of Never Despair chased after the culprit, and with the help of players, the person was detained and handed over to SAPS.

“The vice-chairman of the club, Mr James Davids, a paramedic, attended to the wounded player until he was taken to hospital by ambulance. The player was discharged from hospital (on Sunday).”

ALSO READ: ‘Shocking’ incident as club rugby player stabbed

“After a discussion between management of the two clubs and match officials, the match was called off because the referees were too traumatised to go ahead.

“Randall Swarts, the chairman of the visiting club, confirmed to Boland Rugby that his club was satisfied that the host club’s safety procedures were in order, with security visible. The traumatic events, even though isolated, are viewed in a very serious light by the union. The union immediately discussed the incident with the club in order to obtain a detailed report.”

RUGBY IN THE NEWS AGAIN

Club rugby
A shocking club rugby incident has come to light. Photo: Archives

Photo: Ashley Vlotman/Gallo Images