Two rugby players – one each from Saints Rugby Football Club and Oldham were given their marching orders after an incident during a Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) National Men’s League match held on 11 November at the St Andrew’s pitch.
But what has riled the rugby community is the action of the Saints player who kicked his opponent when he was lying on the ground following a clash of bodies while in a tussle for the ball, doing so right in front of the referee.
A TMSG reader, who is a member of the rugby fraternity said that the action of the Saints rugger was unwarranted and showed very little or no restraint, which could have been fatal.
The Saints player kicked out at the Oldham player despite seeing his opponent lying motionless on the pitch after the clash of bodies in mid-air.
Upon examination of the replay, it appears that the Saints player kicked his opponent on the left shoulder.
A free-for-all ensured but the match officials managed to restore order on the pitch within seconds, after interviention by officials on both sides as well.
The Singapore Rugby Union (SRU) confirmed in an email response to TMSG that the union’s judiciary was currently looking at the incident.
“Citings and cards have been issued and the judiciary team is looking at it,” said general manager Sidney Kumar in response to TMSG’s queries.
“We don’t take these instances lightly and they will be dealt with through our judiciary process.”
The Oldham player was subsequerntly stretchered out and two players were given their marching orders by the referee.
The SRU added that the players in question who were responsible for the melee have been identified and the SRU will let the judicial process “run its course”.
“Both parties are in conversation and have reached to each other as the rugby community is quite close,” said the SRU.
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