The real spirit of rugby: Lessons learnt from a tragedy
SPOTLIGHT: Luca Watson is perhaps not as well-known in rugby circles as he is in the equestrian arena.
However, the 15-year-old is the personification of the true Spirit of Rugby.
To quote World Rugby: “It is through discipline, control and mutual respect that the spirit of the game flourishes and, in the context of a game as physically challenging as rugby, these are the qualities which forge the fellowship and sense of fair play so essential to the game’s ongoing success and survival.
“Old-fashioned traditions and virtues they may be, but they have stood the test of time and, at all levels at which the game is played, they remain as important to rugby’s future as they have been throughout its long and distinguished past. The principles of rugby are the fundamental elements upon which the game is based, and they enable participants to immediately identify the game’s character and what makes it distinctive as a sport.”
To understand why a young scholar is such a commendatory and applaudable example of the spirit of the game, we have to explain how he reacted to a tragedy caused by an opponent.
Let us, for a moment, elucidate the incident that brought us here!
It happened on Saturday, July 19, a few weeks after he was crowned Reserve National Champion at the Junior Open South African equestrian (Show Jumping) championships.
On that fateful day, Watson came on as a second-half replacement for Pirates in an age-group game against Diggers at the latter’s Randburg home ground in the suburb of Johannesburg.
He scored a blistering try from inside his own half, and after the ball had already been grounded and the try awarded, a Diggers defender charged knee-first into a prone Watson’s head.
No penalty, no card and certainly no apology. (see incident below)
The result of what can best be described as an ‘assault’ was that young Luca Watson spent four days in ICU, before parts of his jaw (fractured in five places) could be surgically repaired.
The offending player was sanctioned by the Golden Lions Youth Rugby department after an investigation conducted in conjunction with the GLRU Referee Association, Diggers Youth Rugby and other senior GLRU members.
He was handed a …
* Four-week/four-game sanction commencing July 26.
* Four-week tackle technique training at Diggers Rugby Club that was monitored by Diggers Junior Head of Coaches Reinhardt Rachstein and Junior Vice-Chairperson Chris Bester.
* World Rugby Online courses:
1. Injury Prevention and Risk Management – Tackle Ready
2. Player Welfare – First Aid in Rugby
* Twenty Hours of community service at Diggers that needs to be completed by the end of the season, September 27.
* He was also denied access to IPT trials for 2025.
* He had to write a letter of apology to Luca and the Watson family.
Luca Watson had every right to be enraged, given the pain and suffering he had to endure, as well as having been robbed of any further participation in his favoured sports while on the long road to recovery.
As a Proteas show jumper, he missed the only available pathway show in SA for the Youth Olympic Games in 2026, which took place the weekend he was discharged from Hospital and while he was on five weeks of ‘no-sport recovery time’ with his mouth wired closed.
As a result, he now needs to make a long and arduous trip to Zimbabwe with his horse on September 18 to compete at their YOG qualifier as a Foreign Athlete, all to salvage his qualification opportunity for his lifelong dream of going to the Youth Olympics – an event that only comes around every four years.
However, rather than retribution, he sought reconciliation.
The God-fearing young sportsman said that, as he reflected on the entire experience and his own suffering, he saw it as an opportunity to teach his fellow youths in the game of rugby some valuable lessons.
“I do not want people to feel bad for me,” he told @rugby365com, adding: “I do not want anyone to look for revenge, but rather to learn, grow and be educated by the consequences of a split-second action.”
Once he had recovered enough to speak, Luca Watson headed over to Diggers to engage with his adversary, the Diggers players, chairpersons and coaches from both teams and a representative from the GLRU.
He delivered a speech that drew plaudits from far and wide, including Pirates club Chairman Brad Guymer.
“Guys, I cannot tell you the impact this young man has had on rugby as a whole,” he said in a letter to the Watson parents.
“This goes way beyond Diggers/Pirates. Every club has taken note and will be hammering home to the boys that an impulsive moment can have life-changing consequences.
“To seek reconciliation over revenge takes immense character, and I think if most of us were honest, we would admit we weren’t so noble.
“What a great ambassador for the sport we have in Luca.
“If equestrian or rugby doesn’t work out, there’s definitely a career in motivational speaking.”
Guymer added that the young Diggers player is not a monster like so many made him out to be.
“He had a second to make a decision and chose the wrong one.
“His family are also so grateful to Luca for showing grace.”
The oration that elicited such rhapsodising shows maturity well beyond what you would expect from a 15-year-old. (see video below)
“I’m not here to say: ‘Look what you guys did to me’,” he started.
“As awful as this has been for me, eventually we are all going to move on.
“What happened to me should not happen to anyone on the field. It is not part of the game,” he said, going into some of the more gory details of the incident.
However, his remarks quickly took a more conciliatory turn.
“It was an experience I wouldn’t wish on my worst enemy,” Watson said.
“I come to Pirates twice a week to chase my dream, just like you all do.
“At the end of the day, regardless of what happens in the game, we always shake hands.
“We do everything to win, we are there to beat each other, because that is the competitive side of sport.
“There is also sportsmanship. I have been in a lot of games when I have been outplayed and someone stepped me badly or a great tackle on me.”
He added that you should always congratulate an opponent who bettered you.
“Rugby is a sport that could bring a team [together] and unite a nation.
“We all look up to the Springboks and watch their games.
“Going forward, when someone scores a try, congratulate him.
“That is the spirit of rugby, the spirit of the game.
“What happened to me wasn’t part of the game.
“I want to make sure that when we all move on from this, we can move on with a lesson.
“You don’t fail in life, you only learn.
“The next time we play you lads, it is not going to be a thing of: ‘We are going to smash them. Look what they did to my player.’
“We don’t need to get payback.
“It is not rugby. It is not sport.
“He did not wake up on that morning and think I’m going to put him in ICU.
“Nobody wishes that upon anyone.
“I forgive him.
“God forgives, and we all forgive.
“Next time, when someone goes over the tryline, don’t take the risk of putting someone back eight weeks and putting him through the trauma of an ICU and surgery.
“Don’t take the risk of taking away someone’s dreams.”
Watson concluded that the lesson from this incident is invaluable to all levels of the game.
@king365ed
@rugby365com
