Maltese Stompers take bulls by the horns in Pamplona

A group of Maltese rugby players escaped unscathed from the annual running of the bulls in Spain’s San Fermin festival in Pamplona last week, which left 40 seriously injured. “You’re running frantically down narrow streets and your pulse is rushing as the pack stampedes towards you. It’s exhilarating,” said Stomper team captain Sam Borg, who, with eight teammates, decided to take his life into his own hands and brave the Pamplona runs. The San Fermin bull runs, which honour the patron saint of the northern Spanish city, date back to the 16th century and attract thousands of thrill seekers who try to outpace the thrashing herd of 650-kilo Miura bulls. Fifteen people have died since records began in 1924 but Mr Borg said risking bodily harm was nothing new for the Stompers crew. “On the rugby pitch you put your life on the line and we thought that the runs are synonymous with that same kind of risk. “We set out to do it if we reached our goals for this season and we did,” Mr Borg said, referring to the full honours Stompers won in this year’s three competitions. Dozens of people are injured each year in the encierros, as the runs are called in Spanish. Most get hurt by tripping or...