PORTSMOUTH — Collegiate rugby players showed off their ankle taps, banana kicks, crash tackles and goose steps during the annual Beast of the East rugby tournament at Glen Farm over the weekens.

Calling itself the largest rugby tournament in the United States, the "Beast" featured more than 2,500 participants on 80 collegiate teams from Maine to Florida. The tournament is hosted by Providence Rugby Football Club with benefits going toward the Rhode Island Rugby Football Foundation (RIRFF), a nonprofit that promotes the development of rugby in the state.

As usual, it was a rough-and-tumble affair, and the Portsmouth Fire Department had rescue wagons on standby. On its Facebook page, however, the department noted it was a “comparatively slow rugby tournament for Portsmouth Fire, with only 29 patients receiving care worthy of documentation.” 

The Roger Williams women’s rugby team won the Division III championship for the second straight year, defeating Plymouth State 31-10.

On the men’s side, the Hawks’ Luke Bradley and Keith Chamberlain were considered two of the most dominate players in the tournament.

Scroll through dozens of photos of the event above by clicking on the arrows, or press the "Start slideshow" button. All photos by Richard W. Dionne Jr.