It’s not every day that you get to tackle your own teammate.
While this does occasionally happen by mistake in a rugby union match and especially the 15-man format of the game, it seems that some players back home in Randfontein decided to do it on purpose, and for fun.
On July 22 and during an official Senior Grand Challenge league match between the first teams of Randfontein Rugby Club and Harlequins from Krugersdorp, the unthinkable happened. It involves a moment where a Randfontein Rugby Club first-team player gathers the ball and charges toward the opposition before he is suddenly tackled by his own player.
The tackle, which was captured on camera by someone in the pavilion, has since gone viral reaching more than one million views. It even attracted the attention of international media.
Randfontein Rugby Club president Jannie van Loggerenberg explained what happened saying, “The story is that the referee told the players he was going to stop the game after the next try. The back line then decided to give flyhalf Tiaan Nel the last try but when the flanker took the ball up, it looked like he was on his way to score. The captain, Rudi Marx, decided to remind him that wasn’t the game plan. Tiaan did, however, eventually score the last try and all was done in good spirit. There is an amazing camaraderie among the Teine team. We love it.”
Randfontein eventually won the game convincingly 101–0 scoring 15 tries in the process.
Read a full review of the match at noon on Saturday, July 29.
