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London mayor Boris Jonson, pictured here, knocked down a 10-year-old in the street rugby match, but the mayor and student shook hands after. Photo courtesy: WMC

TOKYO – London mayor Boris Johnson took out some time this week to show a Japanese youngster how to do a proper tackle at a promotional event for the Rugby World Cup 2019.

During a game of touch rugby in Tokyo, Johnson accidentally cannoned against 10-year-old Toki Sekiguchi and they fell down on the little makeshift field together.

In a show of good sportsmanship, Johnson helped pick him up and shook his hands saying he was sorry.

Sekiguchi said he, “…felt a little bit of pain but it’s ok.” adding, that meeting Johnson had been “enjoyable”. The two later took a commemorative picture together and Johnson gave the school boy a 2015 rugby World Cup ball.

Typically in touch rugby, players don’t tackle each other instead touching their opponents using their hands on any part of their body, clothing, or the ball itself.

However, this isn’t the first time the mayor has tripped up while playing sports.

Last year he tripped a nine-year-old while playing soccer outside London’s City Hall and in 2006 he tackled on the German international Maurizio Gaudino during a charity football match.

And he isn’t the only mayor to fall over during a sports photoshoot. Former Toronto mayor Rob Ford had this memorable moment in 2012: