The Art of War

A competitive sport such as rugby may involve aggressive tackles or tactics. However, actual violence falls outside the requirements of good sportsmanship. Rugby involves some level of physical aggression or violence, but includes penalties and restrictions for dangerous and excessive use of physical force. In rugby, the explicit physical actions can be described as violence. Such actions take place in a result of various reasons, and can become dangerous to the participants, as well as the spectators of the game. However, there is a very thin line between the permissible levels of violence as per the laws of the rugby union. Terms such as hard play and permissible refer to the acts of violence within the accepted (sanctioned) laws. On the other hand, foul play and inadmissible refers to the unaccepted (unsanctioned) acts of violence within the laws of the rugby union. Aggression or violence is the infliction of an adverse physical, stimulus, gestural or verbal by one player upon another one. It is a behavior committed with the intention to injure.

In rugby, violence takes the form of physical aggressive acts such as tackles above the shoulders. Acts such as regular tackles and contacts during scrums can be viciously violent actions, but still fall under the rules of the game and not intended to injure the opponents. The intent to injure is controversial because some regular tackles might result in injuries making the opponents aggressive and angry. In the same respect, some players might be getting away with illegal and undetectable challenges against their opponents. Such moves are considered to be violent. Rules and regulations, as well as the punishment regulated for physically aggressive acts are defined by the Rugby Union. The challenge most referees face is in deciding the intent. It is subjective, thus best the player who carried out the action.

In trying to define and outline the source of violence or aggression in rugby, it is necessary to consider the status that sanctioned violence or aggression hold in the sport. This would distinguish them from violence and aggression acts in most contexts of the sport. In rugby, aggression and violence can be seen as unprovoked attacks or hostility on another player which are not sanctioned by the Rugby Union. However, in a tournament, for example, the Rugby World Cup, aggression is provoked in the sense that the competing teams are ready to do anything to win. The high competitive nature of some rugby settings induces unsanctioned violence. Aggression in rugby is inherent and sanctioned, as long as the acts remain permissible within the set rules, which serve as a kind of contract in the pursuit of aggression between the opponents. A rugby match between New Zealand and England is expected to be aggressive because of the long term rivalry. As much as sanctioned aggression and violence are an intrinsic part of rugby teams, it should be noted that the players involved are at risk of career ending injury and sometimes fatal. This is similar to other sports such as boxing, skiing and NFL, where the athletes are aware of the risks involved. The sanctioned violence or aggression also acts as a source of players’ satisfaction, excitement and pleasure hence acting as a critical factor in their motivation for participation. However, this argument is not made to clear unsanctioned violence or aggression in rugby, but to comprehend the nature of this contact sport. The other possible cause of violence or aggression in rugby is the social structures surrounding the players. The game might provide a positive outlet of social relations or may act as an avenue of learning or releasing aggression. As people socialize through the sport, they learn good and bad things associated with it. Violent players are most likely to have learnt or have been induced to it at their early stages of development. Through the game, players also learn rules and regulations pertaining to the sport.

Therefore, to effectively manage violence in the Hong Kong Rugby Sevens, it is the responsibility of all stakeholders involved to cultivate good sportsmanship as per the rules and regulations of the sport. Secondly, coaches should root out the culture of unsanctioned violence despite aggression being necessary for success. Identified incidents should be dealt with through early and strong actions. In addition, the importance of fair play and calmness between the opposing fans should be propagated through educational campaigns and advertisements. Further, referees and the television match officials must also maintain sanity by ensuring that they are fair to avoid uproar from players and fans for perceived ill treatment. Moreover, infringements that were not cited during the match should also be punished. The organizers should also ensure that there are enough stewards to avoid scenarios where spectators invade the field or attack their opponents. Additionally, anti-sideline violence campaigns should be launched. The philosophy of winning at all cost plays a key role in facilitating unethical aggressive tackles. Hence, coaches should refrain from such tactics because this impacts destructively and negatively on the development, as well as, the well being of developing athletes and the society at large.

In summary, rugby is a contact sport and does not create conditions for violence. It is characterized by boastfulness, jealousy, disregard of rules, hatred and aggressive gratification in witnessing violence. However, it maintains the possibility of aggression and violence, and adds other external forces which may result in social disorder in which trails of strength are depicted by either the opposing fans or players.