Rugby videos of tackles, tries, funny incidents and more: Scott MacLeod and Chris Fusaro red carded for derby boxing

Tuesday, January 04, 2011

Scott MacLeod and Chris Fusaro red carded for derby boxing

A week ago Edinburgh lock Scott MacLeod and Glasgow flank Chris Fusaro were both red carded for their off the ball fight at the end of a highly charged meeting between the Scottish rival sides in the Magners League.

While the incident took place pretty much on full time, referee Andrew Macpherson referred to his assistant and together they felt the punch up was worthy of sending both players from the park. The pair were subsequently suspended by the Scottish Rugby Union for a week, both missing the return meeting between the two sides.

"The pair were dismissed under Law 10.4 (a) - punching or striking," a statement read.

The panel considered it a low-end offence by both players, whose previous good behaviour and remorse on the night of the game and during the hearing was taken into account.

The incident caused somewhat of a stir in the Scottish media, with opinions varied as to whether the suspensions were too lenient, and on the flipside, if the red cards were too harsh . Edinburgh coach Rob Moffat seems to subscribe to the latter school of thought.

"You don't want to condone violence in the game, but if you look at that match - well, it was hard fought, it was physical, but it certainly wasn't dirty.

"We sometimes forget what rugby was like 30 years ago, when it was a lot worse than that. The game on Monday was just a good hard physical contest, and while people might not like seeing punches being thrown, they do want to see a good, hard contest."

It certainly was a full-on go by both men, gloves off type of stuff, but it was good to see the players exchange a composed handshake as they walked from the pitch.

Time: 01:32
Music: The Fallen by Franz Ferdinand
Note: If you're in Germany, you can view the video on the RD Facebook Page

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By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:26 pm
The long haired guy won in my opinion.

By Phil, at January 04, 2011 6:26 pm
That blond guy is a monster; wouldn't have fancied throwing down with him...

By RedYeti, at January 04, 2011 6:27 pm
A bit funny red carding them when its already showing 80 mins up top, but probably deserving of it

By Laz, at January 04, 2011 6:27 pm
Long haired guy looked a bit slow and sluggish, but you could tell he's one of those guys with natural power.

Bring back the biff!

By Chris, at January 04, 2011 6:30 pm
haha the blonde guy looks like a ryt nutter, the way he smiled after

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:34 pm
If your going to fight do it properly seems to be the motto here.

Not appropriate in rugby but at least they both threw some punches

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:34 pm
Blondy guy was helped in getting a few digs in by the fact his mate was holding him for him.

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:35 pm
what biff???? holding down the player while the long hair dude have a go at him... PUSSIES!

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:37 pm
Who threw first punch?

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:39 pm
The blond one just destroyed the other... Powerful monster!

The red card is because of Fairplay League in the Magners League: "The Specsavers Fairplay League rewards the best disciplinary record, with the team with the fewest disciplinary points (1 point for each yellow card, and 3 points for each red card or upheld citing) at the end of each season given £10,000 to spend on their youth development programme."

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:44 pm
After so many year criticizing pink and fluo jerseys in France, it seems that the british teams took the same road...
What an outfit!

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:45 pm
Lots of well informed comments here. Let me help you lot - the 'blonde haired guy' is SCOTT MACLEOD.

The fight was clearly over the awful kit. It was a matter of time before someone lost their cool over it.

By Rob, at January 04, 2011 6:51 pm
A good ol' bust belongs in footy and is great to see!
It's a physical game that runs high on emotion so it's no surprise the emotions boil over at times - regardless of these blokes being 'professionals' or perceived as 'role models', they're human and it's no different to what you'd see on a Saturday avo watching club footy.
Get a grip!

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 6:53 pm
how did the player who held #20 by the neck while his team mate pumbled him then threw him to the floor get away scott free? (no pun intended on the nationalities of the teams)

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 7:23 pm
MACLOEDDDDDDD !

Loving the franz too ;)

really good game i thought, and i'm glad there was at least ONE fight, tis a derby after all

By DEO, at January 04, 2011 7:26 pm
the 'blonde haired guy' is SCOTT MACLEOD.

------

If he cuts his girl hair people might call him by his name

By HeavenlyDivine, at January 04, 2011 7:39 pm
One isolated punch to the face is a red card, but if the opponent retaliates with a punch the media say the referee was too harsh.

How are referees supposed to get it right?- clearly this incident was dealt with correctly.

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 7:56 pm
All part and package of a good game o rugby gentlemen!!! MacLeod beasted the other guy!!

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 8:40 pm
OMG! Fusaro, 21 years old, 3 matches this season, 1 yellow card and 1 red ^^

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 9:04 pm
Song anyone?

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 9:44 pm
defo a case of 2 vs 1 and the 1 was smaller to begin with!
1 seemed unfased thou.

By blonds get more attention, at January 04, 2011 9:47 pm
exactly Fusaro showed some balls taking on McLeod and not letting Geoff Cross, who is a complete arsehole for holding, stop him from trying to get his man - good stuff from a derby match!

By Warriors, at January 04, 2011 10:05 pm
song, Fallen by franz ferdinand on the album 'you could have it so much better'

DEO

By DEO, at January 04, 2011 10:14 pm
I think Fusaro regretted starting that one!

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 10:47 pm
Face it folks; we are warriors, we go hunting, we have rifles and itty bitty bullets....

Ruck on, bruthas!

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 11:22 pm
If players were smart enough to grab their OWN PLAYER and pull him away from a fight, brawls would rarely happen.

By Dolph, at January 04, 2011 11:47 pm
unbeliveble the second row give 4 or 5 punches and the litle guy dont arm "reach" enough to hit him...

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 11:49 pm
Was that two forwards vs a back? I think the blonde guy was more embarrassed that he didn't put him away easier ;)

By Sam, at January 04, 2011 11:50 pm
My missus was a year below fusaro at school. random fact

By Anonymous, at January 04, 2011 11:57 pm
Are there any versions of the video without the music, I wonder what was said as the card was pulled out

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 12:30 am
Idiots, both of them.

By Gman, at January 05, 2011 12:59 am
Am I the only one that is unsure about these last ten min red cards? I know a yellow in the dying minutes rules you out for the rest of the game but it is not as bad as when viewed out of context....so why do it? Most clubs have an automatic in club ban for a red card....

Maybe it's not the case for these last minute cards but I dunno...... As for the scrap, it wasnt a cheap shot being thrown and looked like both parties were happily involved, I don't see a red, only yellow for me....

By (u-p)rick, at January 05, 2011 1:29 am
Red's harsh.
In the old days it wouldn't even be a penalty, just a "calm down" from the ref.
I miss that.

By Jono, at January 05, 2011 2:49 am
Handshake at the end, thats what rugby is all about ;)

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 3:25 am
What about the third man in. Not a fair fight if number 20s hands were being held back and number 4 having a go

By Mark, at January 05, 2011 5:33 am
The thumbnail for this post rather flatters Fusaro. Also, I agree with Jono that the good old days of having a bust up while the referee waits--slightly irritated--are a day gone by too soon. I'd like to see some niggly git grab a lad's wedding tackle or otherwise be a naughty boy when he knows he'll be held to account by five (or ten) fingers rather than the lone crooked 'come hither' digit from the ref.

I understand that the referee doesn't want to create an environment where a 30-man bear pit forms, but you could solve that environment by carding the lads that come in and escalate matters. Let the lads have it out, and if they want to continue the conversation again, card them both to let them cool their heels.

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 9:14 am
"If players were smart enough to grab their OWN PLAYER and pull him away from a fight, brawls would rarely happen."

Erm, the number 1 rule in Rugby when it comes to the biff is NEVER restrain your own team mate.

That's the 1 rule you don't break.

By HeavenlyDivine, at January 05, 2011 9:21 am
Blonde 1 - Brunette 0

By Colombes, at January 05, 2011 10:00 am
Nice one DEO

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 11:57 am
I'm sure RD don't want to glamorise violence in Rugby, so I beg the question; Were Frans Ferdinand in the crowd whilst that was kicking off?
Or were we treated to some background music whilst relaxing to some rugby violence....
LOL.

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 12:58 pm
have to agree that they had it right in the old days.two big men in disagreement settle their dispute face to face,no cheap shots,take their punishment and shake hands after it all.that's what i like to see.
no stamping,eye-gouging,or kicking:play on

By Leeners93, at January 05, 2011 1:34 pm
hmm... easy on the blond victory, i do not see such a thing. The only good digs came when the helping *anker came to put Fusaro down preventing him from retaliating. And even those last "uncounted" punches (held by another guy + punched during fall cause of this guy) barely made any difference, Fusaro walked out like he was back from a thai massage.

For me, all the credit to Fusaro who despite being outnumbered and held walked away with a kind tap for his opponent. Pure fair play.

PS : MacLeod was "nice" and fair play too, but other the *anker from his team is a disgrace to this fair biff.

By jo, at January 05, 2011 1:40 pm
Is there any way of watching this clip in Germany?

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 2:25 pm
2 red cards is the correct decision, we aren't living in the old days of rugby anymore...there's no place for full on boxing matches in rugby. Disipline is paramount and if players feel free to fight we're on a slippery slope. If they need to prove something to eachother why not plant him in a tackle. I hate to see this shit.

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 2:40 pm
the only punches macleod (a forward) landed were when fusaro (a back) was being held back (by another forward). before that macleod looked sluggish. like said before, versaro walked away lookin like he hadn't been hurt at all

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 3:50 pm
well at least its two men fighting how men should fight not this dirty shit you see in france

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 3:51 pm
^^^^^ don't watch it then...

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 4:08 pm
Chris Fusaro is a flanker, not a back. Nice kid, though it's funny one of his uncles is bragging about this fight around town. 3 games this season, 1 yellow & 1 red for a pro player is not good news.

By Anonymous, at January 05, 2011 4:51 pm
two on one, harsh...
hand shake at the end,
thats what i like to see.

By Ronan, at January 05, 2011 11:53 pm
See I think there is a place for punch ups in rugby. There was for a hundred years, why not now? PC?
Overprotective parents or something?
Even fifteen years ago this wouldn't have gotten a red.
Twenty years ago there were no cards at all.
Better game as a result, imo.
In league (and I know I'm gonna get some irrational reactions because I brought up league), punch ups happen all the time and don't result in much of anything. Sometimes the guys get ten minutes to cool down, but usually nothing.

By Jono, at January 06, 2011 1:55 am
^^^You got it Jonno. There is a very sharp departure from history and what's going on now in rugby. Guys get pissed in a physical game. Nobody got hurt, hope to seem them both on the field next week. Rugby should never be about fighting, but it's not the end of the world if guys get into it.

By Anonymous, at January 06, 2011 7:01 am
"Rob Moffat seems to subscribe to the latter school of thought." ie he thought the suspensions were too lenient? Are you sure about this??

By Anonymous, at January 06, 2011 12:34 pm
No, I wrote that wrong actually. Thanks for pointing it out, and reading the article. :)

By GMC, at January 06, 2011 12:42 pm
I think the music is over the top cause hardly anyone knows the Gealic and there was some funny comments the last time RD aired Gealic commentry

By Anonymous, at January 09, 2011 6:22 pm
Shake hands. Stays on the field. Well done boys.

By Anonymous, at January 10, 2011 4:00 am