Wales star sparks controversy with alleged eye gouge on Duhan van der Merwe
Yesterday at 01:14 PM
Wales star Ben Thomas found himself at the centre of a major controversy during their clash with Scotland, as fans debated whether his actions on Duhan van der Merwe amounted to an eye gouge.
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The incident, which was reviewed by the TMO, saw Thomas' hand make contact with Van der Merwe's face while attempting a tackle. While no action was taken by the officials, social media erupted with divided opinions on whether he was lucky to escape punishment.
“Eye gouge if I ever saw one…”
Many fans were convinced that Thomas was guilty of a serious offence, with one stating: “Eye gouge if I ever saw one…”while another accused the officials of ignoring clear evidence: “Eye gouge is now fine with proof that players’ fingers were actively clawing at eyes…”
“That's not an eye gouge. Good decision from officials.”
However, not everyone agreed. Some fans defended Thomas, insisting it was merely an unfortunate accident rather than deliberate foul play. “That's not an eye gouge. Not really sure why that has been questioned by the TMO. He's running at full speed and his arm slides up, it's not foul play. Good decision from the on-field officials,” argued one supporter.
“Clearly eye gouge – should've been sent off!”
Yet, others were far less forgiving, believing Thomas should have faced severe consequences. “WTF was Thomas thinking? Clearly eye gouge and he should be off for the rest of the game!” blasted one fan, while another remarked: “Thomas is lucky there for me, that looked pretty dangerous. I'm sure there wasn't intent, but you can't be clawing around the face and eyes like that.”
“Desperate for punishment?”
Interestingly, some believed the TMO was pushing too hard for Thomas to be punished. One fan suggested: “Common sense decision from [referee Andrea] Piardi then. That TMO seemed desperate for some kind of punishment against Ben Thomas.”
Did Ben Thomas dodge a bullet?
Ultimately, no action was taken, but that hasn't stopped the debate. One fan summed it up by saying: “I think Ben Thomas dodged one there.”
With the incident likely to be scrutinised further, it remains to be seen whether World Rugby will review the footage and take retrospective action.
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