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Thu 14 Nov 2013 | 12:00
Two players red carded in Georgia vs Canada mass brawl

31
Comments

Georgia upset Canada in Tbilisi last weekend, winning 19-15 but all everyone has been speaking about since was this wild fight. You may have seen some of it already, but here's a slightly better version and of course, it is now archived in Big Hits & Dirty Play.

Over 15000 fans were on hand at the National Stadium to witness Georgia beating Canada for the second time ever, tying up their record of having each won twice against one another.

The Lelos haven't lost at their National Stadium fortress in ten years. Their last defeat at the intimidating ground was against Romania in 2003, and before that to the same team in 2000.

Shortly before halftime chaos erupted as flanker Viktor Kolelishvili high-tackled flyhalf Liam Underwood, which Canada's Tyler Ardron took exception to, and the fists started flying.

Mamuke Gorgodze, known as one of the hardest men in world rugby, could be seen apologising to referee Lourens van der Merwe for the tackle but as soon as he saw what was going on, he set off.

Everyone joined in, and when it was all over, both Kolelishvili and Ardron were red carded.

"We won the match but I am not completely satisfied. We made a lot of mistakes in the first half. We could have played better," said Milton Haig, Georgian national team head coach.

"As for the incident in the first half, I know, Georgians are fighters but rugby lovers would not like it. It does not happen at international level. We must learn how to be patient and if Viktor had been patient, perhaps, he would have (only) been sin-binned."

Canada dropped a place in the world rankings from 14th to 15th, while Georgia gained 1.2 points but are still in 16th position. They'll earn 0.30 points if they beat the USA this coming weekend.

Posted By: Grant Constable

31 Comments

  • matt
    1:07 PM 17/11/2013

    Perhaps, but it isn't illegal, and it isn't dangerous.

  • jimothy
    9:18 AM 17/11/2013

    Rubbish, just because someone grabs you doesn't mean you have to start throwing punches. If the Georgian player hadn't done that I believe it may have only been a yellow card. How often in international rugby do we see players running up to their opposite number and nothing actually happening?

    Technically the Georgian did 'start' the fight as he threw the first punch.

  • stroudos
    6:16 AM 16/11/2013

    "Stroudos, I expect this stupid remark from you." - Really? Well that is disappointing to hear.

    I disagree with your interpretation of the incident though. I think if you run at someone with your hands up at boxing guard height, that other person has a right to think that you're about to punch him, so to get his retaliation in first is quite acceptable.

    Anyway, if you look closely at the replays, I think you'll find Canada 8 did throw a punch right at the beginning, however it was a shit punch and landed on Georgia 6's chest.

    I also think he would have thrown more punches, but Georgia 6 (not his team-mates who had no right to get involved) had his arms trapped and kept him at arm's length - good defence by him.

    No, I don't agree with 8 on 1. All the more lamentable in this case, as Red 6 was clearly capable of handling things on his own.

    But then, I don't *agree* with any fighting on the rugby pitch. Personally I've almost always managed to stay out of any of that bullshit. However, when it happens, superior technical fighting ability should not, in my opinion, automatically mean you're labelled the aggressor.

  • heavyhooker
    1:48 AM 16/11/2013

    Stroudos, I expect this stupid remark from you. The Canadian is not swinging and has only grabbed his shirt before the Georgian takes the first swing. I suppose you agree with an 8 on 1 also?

  • stroudos
    9:58 PM 15/11/2013

    I dislike the posturing and confronting more than the fighting. All that getting in the oppo's grill and puffing your chest out is far better suited to the football pitch.

  • finedisregard
    1:46 PM 15/11/2013

    And you're South African?

  • matt
    11:27 AM 15/11/2013

    So much time for this / bnations, everyone is passionate and considers it more than a game, but it is almost always the Georgians that are in these videos.

  • matt
    11:23 AM 15/11/2013

    There is a big difference between confrontation and fist fighting, and only one player on that pitch started any fighting

  • matt
    11:20 AM 15/11/2013

    Whilst I agree that the this was not entirely Georgia's fault, it was the Georgian player that turned some pushing and posturing into fighting. 'Anyone would do so when someone chases you' is nonsense, if this were true there would be dozens of red cards every weekend.

  • stroudos
    10:42 AM 15/11/2013

    "take a look at time 1:42 to 1:48, Canadian player runs at the #6", who at that moment is retreating and looks immediately apologetic for the dirty hit he's just made. (By the way, the tackle was indisputably dangerous but it looks more like a misjudgement than a malicious hit to me). Why is Canada #8 running at Georgia #6 with his hands raised? Is it to ask for his telephone number? Georgian bloke is entitled to interpret this as threatening behaviour and, although he shouldn't start throwing punches I think he can argue it was in self-defence.

  • stroudos
    10:37 AM 15/11/2013

    Definitely. My favourite moment is around 0:17 where the Canadian centre takes a long run-up to get involved - he just disappears out of shot then as the camera pans round he's on his arse being dragged about like a human dustbin.

  • stroudos
    10:34 AM 15/11/2013

    Best comment on the entire thread so far.

  • guy
    10:32 AM 15/11/2013

    Kiwi's are way smarter than that! They manage to start a scuffle after a legitimite tackle on Carter and get a SA player yellow carded.

    So obviously they do handle these sort of situations differently ;-)

  • stroudos
    10:32 AM 15/11/2013

    Myopic, xenophobic and retarded.

  • stroudos
    10:30 AM 15/11/2013

    Well that is a terrible decision. He was the one who bloody started it all.

  • stroudos
    10:29 AM 15/11/2013

    Will - surely getting up and back-pedalling is a none-aggressive act. His body language at that point to me showed that he immediately regretted the tackle. It was apologetic behaviour. Canada 8 was the one steaming in and making a fight of it.

  • stroudos
    10:27 AM 15/11/2013

    Well I'm not Georgian and I say Canada #8 is to blame for the entire episode.
    Bad tackle by Georgia 6 but the ref blew up and was going to penalise him - my guess he'd have shown a yellow for the tackle.
    Canada #8 waded in acting all Billy Big Bollocks and was the chief instigator of the fight.
    Personally I was quite pleased to see him handed his arse (couple of nice quick digs by red 6).

  • katman
    9:25 AM 15/11/2013

    The Georgians need a long break from international rugby. They need to think about whether they want to play the same game as everyone else, or whether they want to start a brawl in every game at the slightest provocation. Because it seems they're mostly there for the fight.

  • danknapp
    7:19 AM 15/11/2013

    Agreed, badly handled by the Canadian player. Ref was surely sending the Georgian off, but by getting involved he cost his team that one-man advantage.

  • 2:34 AM 15/11/2013

    As a Canadian I have to say I'd be disappointed if Ardron had reacted in any other way to the cheap shot tackle. He was captaining for the first time and saw his young teammate get laid out with a vicious, dangerous tackle. As a teammate, let alone the captain, you'd feel compelled to stand up for your mate.

    Can you imagine Richie Mccaw watching DC get clotheslines and doing nothing?

  • heavyhooker
    12:53 AM 15/11/2013

    Sorry people, take a look at time 1:42 to 1:48, Canadian player runs at the #6 - which is natural and happens with most dirty hits, but does not punch, the #6 punches first. Had the Canadian not been swarmed at that time (there are 8 Georgians against the only Canadian and three of them are punching) nothing probably would have happened. Also, Georgian #6 was not walking away, he was just getting up from the hit and stepped back when he saw a Canadian was pissed. This pushing happens a lot in other games but the Georgians escalated it with an 8 on 1. Cowards

  • bnations
    11:25 PM 14/11/2013

    You know, if everyone that you play provokes you, then you might want to start looking at the common denominator. I'll give you a hint, it's you.

  • michael1
    10:03 PM 14/11/2013

    the referee got this perfect in my opinion and had no other option. the Georgia 6 probably would have received a yellow if no one else got involved. the Canadian 8 is rightfully angry and frustrated however the Georgia 6 immediately moved away from the incident to be chased by the Canadian 8 who's intentions were clear in that he was trying to attack and punch the Georgia 6, causing the brawl to occur. YOU CANT TAKE THE LAW INTO YOUR OWN HANDS. for this he deserved a red card. the Georgia 6 also then deserved a red for retaliating and landing several punches on the Canada 8. the officials cant then pick out and send off several players as too much is going on to notice everything, therefore making the right decision by sending off the two instigators. they can then include this in their match report and it can be dealt with by a board of sighting commisioners

  • totesmcgoates
    9:59 PM 14/11/2013

    Probably when he crossed the offside line and started punching on with the opposition...

  • dema
    6:47 PM 14/11/2013

    Don't be ridiculous - Canadian 8 went to punch him but could not because Georgian 6 grabbed his hands in time. Later he is seen to throw a red player to the ground. Canadian 6 diving on top of two red players who are lying on the floor, while delivering a huge hit with his fist. Don't say there's only one side to blame.

  • atilla
    5:39 PM 14/11/2013

    Why am I not surprised Koleshvili got carded?

  • reality
    5:17 PM 14/11/2013

    That always happens though when someone illegally harms another player. People always grab them and push them out of understandable frustration. If the Canadian guy had punched the Georgian 6, then ok, he was defending himself after being punched, but to say that he was justified to start throwing punches because an opposition player was coming towards him is a bit much. And it's not like he did just enough to defend himself - he was absolutely beating the head off the guy, after he threw the first punch.

  • guy
    4:50 PM 14/11/2013

    a) Good to hear the crowd disaprove of this behaviour
    b) Tackle should have been red in itself (imho)
    c) Canadians should have let justice take it's course instead of intervening themselves
    d) In a mass brawl like this, the ref can't do anything else but punish both teams.

  • connachtman
    4:02 PM 14/11/2013

    Rock em Sock Em Rugby!

  • eddie-g
    3:55 PM 14/11/2013

    You gotta feel for the officials in a situation like this. Clearly, there's a lot of blame to go around, and they could probably justifiably send off half a dozen players from each side.

    But they have broader responsibilities, people have come to watch a game of rugby, so sending off who they felt was the worst offender on each side is about the best they can do in the circumstances. The IRB should be making itself useful now, enough of these guys are professional players so multi-week bans will hurt them, and they deserve such bans.

  • spicksandspecks
    3:28 PM 14/11/2013

    They really have to get the TMO involved in this and send more players off. The citing commissioner also has to hand out bans to all players who were punching on, not just the initiators. That a mass brawl like that only ends with 2 players sent off is ridiculous. Both Canada and Georgia have form on brawls and the IRB needs to send a clear message that it is unacceptable.

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