Ebbw Vale's Curtis Gregory was shown a straight red card for stamping on an opponent's leg during a Super Rygbi Cymru match against Llandovery, an incident that left spectators and TV viewers appalled.
The clash was overshadowed by the act, which referee Craig Evans punished in the 35th minute. Gregory directed a stamp onto the outstretched leg of a Llandovery player during a ruck, after his own leg had been briefly held by the opponent. The incident triggered a heated confrontation immediately afterwards.
Referee's Verdict and Immediate Reaction
Referee Craig Evans intervened swiftly, telling Ebbw Vale's captain: "We have a stamp by this player. I did ask the question if anything aggravated it. My AR (assistant referee) didn't see anything. It's a stamp on the leg. Red card. Permanent."
Replays of the incident prompted audible groans from the S4C commentary team, while viewers at home were equally outraged. Social media users condemned the act as "vile", "horrific" and "disgraceful", with many demanding a lengthy suspension.
Public Outcry and Calls for Ban
One supporter wrote: "Absolutely thick and very dangerous." Another viewer added: "The worst thing I've seen in a while."
A further comment read: "Difficult to know how long to ban Curtis Gregory for here. But it has to be long. Very long. One of the most vindictive things I've seen in sport."
Remarkable Turnaround Despite Disadvantage
Despite being reduced to 14 men so early in the contest while trailing 8-0, and later whittled down to 13, the visitors engineered an extraordinary turnaround to claim a 31-15 victory with 31 consecutive unanswered points.
Second-row Gregory now faces the prospect of a lengthy suspension.
