Two Bermudians have appeared in court charged with assaulting Canadian rugby player John Harrison.

Mr. Harrison, a back row player for the Canadian team taking part in the World Rugby Classic, was allegedly assaulted by Keijon Steede, 28 and Devario Whitter, 27, on Monday, on Front Street.

Both men appeared in Magistrates' Court on Wednesday and denied the charges.

Whitter added that he planned to press charges of his own because the rugby player was "a big guy".

His lawyer Larry Mussenden added that rugby was a hooligan's sport.

Senior Magistrate Archibald Warner told Mr. Mussenden, the President of the Bermuda Football Association, that he believed the saying went: "Football is a gentleman's game played by hooligans, and rugby is a hooligans' game played by gentlemen."

Mr. Harrison, who plays for a Toronto team and has represented his province Ontario, was not in court.

Steede, of St. George's, and Whitter, of Pembroke, are due back in court on November 24. They were given $2,000 bail.

The Canadians lost to the Classic Lions 52-5 on the first day of the World Rugby Classic on Sunday.