Spectators run riot at game
Lucille Botha, Die Burger
Cape Town - After a moment of silence for Riaan Loots, who died after a rugby match last week, mutinous spectators at a derby match in Clanwilliam at the weekend ran onto the field with a knife and glass bottles and assaulted at least one player.
This incident dealt a serious blow to the Boland rugby union as three rugby clubs withdrew from the Boland league as a result.
Spectators and players kicked one of the wings in the face during a match between Clanwilliam's Delicious team and the town's team. The referee had to stop the match when a spectator wanted to stab the captain of the town's team.
The match apparently started off well, but spiralled out of control when about 300 spectators became riotous.
The problem is that the Clanwilliam club's field was not fenced.
As team lost, crowd became upset
Markus Greeff, the town's wing, said the crowd became upset shortly before the end of the match when it became clear that Delicious would lose the match. The town's team were leading by three points.
A scuffle broke out after one of the town's players was scratched in the face. Greeff, who tried to pull a Delicious player from the fight, was hit from behind. "I tried to get up, but when I looked up, I saw somebody jump up and kick me full in the face."
According to Arend Redelinghuys, coach of the Clanwilliam team, Greeff was kicked by a player and then by a spectator.
John Barends, chairperson of the Delicious club, said Boland rugby union required all fields to be properly fenced. "It is difficult to control 300 people who are emotionally involved in the game."
Redelinghuys said coloured players who belonged to mixed clubs, were abused and targeted when playing against coloured clubs.
"Nobody can blame us for not wanting to play in this league anymore. It is a risk for one's safety and life. The behaviour of the crowd turned it into a total mess," said Redelinghuys. The Clanwilliam rugby club will keep its league responsibilities for this year, but will not take part next year. The club will also not play matches at venues where the players feel unsafe.
John Sharp, chairperson of Vredendal rugby club, said this club, Nuwerus and Loeriesfontein had withdrawn from the Boland League. "We cannot allow our players to be sent to a battlefield every Saturday," he said.
Piet Bergh, executive chief of Boland Rugby Union and Ivan Pekeur, manager of club rugby, were not aware of the incident on Monday.
News source: www.news24.co.za
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