To all the fans who live in fond remembrance of a bygone era, who continue to lament upon the state of modern football with the classic “game’s gone soft” expression, we’d like to draw your attention to a contest which is perhaps a bit further up your alley.
Clips have emerged from a Women’s College Cup fixture between BYU and Santa Clara featuring some tackles straight out of the NFL.
Containing rather violent challenges and even some hair pulling, the likes of which would make linebackers proud.
Players seemed to clatter into each other routinely, the final clip which happens in the 18-yard box is as hilarious as it is ferocious.
Two Santa Clara players vying for possession in the opposition box lunge at the loose ball, clattering into each other followed by two BYU players doing the same, leaving a cluster of bodies on the ground.
You’ll be more surprised to know that none of these almost feral challenges were deemed worthy of a booking let alone a red card.
Due to a scoreless draw, the game went on for 120 minutes and was then followed by a penalty shootout to decide the winner. These 120 brutal minutes contained a combined number of 28 fouls.
In the end, it was BYU who triumphed in the shootout winning it 3-2 and advancing to the National Championship finals.
No charades on display here, no rolling on the field waiting for the referee to take notice. Just raw, untameable aggression.
