Ebbw Vale's Curtis Gregory was shown a straight red card for stamping on an opponent's outstretched leg during Thursday's Super Rygbi Cymru match against Llandovery, an act that left viewers disgusted and fans calling for a lengthy ban.
The incident occurred in the 35th minute at a ruck, after Gregory's leg was briefly held by a Llandovery player. Gregory responded by aiming a vicious stamp on the player's leg, sparking an immediate confrontation.
Referee's Verdict and 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 drew groans from S4C commentators, while viewers at home were appalled. Social media users branded the act "vile", "horrific" and "disgraceful", with one saying: "Absolutely thick and very dangerous." Another 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 Comeback
Despite losing Gregory so early while 8-0 down, and later being reduced to 13 men, the visitors staged a remarkable comeback to win 31-15, scoring 31 unanswered points.
Second row Gregory now faces a likely substantial ban.
