Rio Olympics 2016: Water Polo players brawl in the pool as tensions spill over between Hungary and Australia

A SWIMMING pool isn’t the usual place to host a boxing match but it did just that briefly at the Rio Games.

Tension between Australia and Hungary water polo players boiled over as time wound down in the Group A qualifier – with punches thrown by both sets of players.

It was all over quickly but was a dramatic moment in a tense game.

Favourites Hungary had been leading the Australians and looked to be holding on for an important victory, before Australia equalised with time running out.

With just 26 seconds remaining, Australia scored to make it 9-9 and knock the wind out of the sails of the powerhouse.

Hungary have won gold a record nine times, with a further three silver and three bronze, moore than any other nation.

They missed out on a medal completely at London 2012, having won gold in 2000, 2004 and 2008.

The brawl echoes the famous ‘blood in the water’ match between Hungary and the Soviet Union in 1956, where Hungarian Ervin Zador emerged from the water with his face covered in blood.