Even on a two handed sword or a claymore without a ricasso (that second handle) they were often used in a technique called 'half-swording'. Even a sharp sword can be held by the blade with decent gloves and used in all sorts of ways a fencer would never have thought of.

Fencing evolved as an answer to fighting in narrow, crowded city streets which we would consider alleys today. There simply wasnt room for any sort of swinging manuevers, just thrusts. As the style became more common you could see the swords evolve from cut and thrust swords, to mainly thrusting swords, to true rapiers, and finally to small swords.

Now two handed swords were not properly used as just swinging, bashing weapons. Rather they had a school of swordsmanship all their own that has a pedigree going back hundreds of years longer than the rapier or any school of fencing. During that time some ferociously efficient guard positions came about, and with the great weight and reach of a two handed sword it could probably deflect even the fast rapier long enough for a telling blow.

BTW rapiers and small swords snapped all the time when struck at the weak, or near the tip. Against a full swing from a sword such as in the ad I dont think even blocking at the strong would save the blade, nor the man underneath.