SUNDAY GO TO BEATING TIME IN NEW ZEALAND SOCCER: Apparently Sunday is not a day of rest and peace in New Zealand, as two players from a Chinese soccer team were arrested for assaulting a referee during an in-game brawl:

The fun began during a local Sunday football league match between New Brighton and Christchurch Chinese United, when a Brightonite threw the ball at the back of the Chinese United goalie’s head.

Before referee Steven Cross could intervene, players from both sides came on the field and started with the punching, kicking and screaming. As he tried to break up a fight, Cross said he was “smacked in the mouth” by one of the Chinese United players. He also claimed that a 2nd Chinese United player attacked him during the melee.

Meanwhile, members of the Chinese United squad felt there was a little racial motivation from the other side in wanting the fight, saying that New Brighton players kept calling them “Chinese f*cks” throughout the match.

Soccer official Wayne Stapely says violence seems to be more common in local Sunday leagues, since many “ethnic” teams play against each other, bringing out more than your average game-day emotions:

“It does happen more in the Sunday League, where we have a lot of ethnic teams. They’re passionate people about their sport.”

Maybe these players should spend less time on the pitch and more time back in Sunday school.