Rugby fans support eye gouging lifeban call

Monday 21 December 2009
Published By: Ben Welch
Heineken Cup > Stade de France

A call for any rugby player caught eye gouging to be banned for life appears to be popular among fans of the sport.

Former Scotland international John Beattie wrote in his BBC Sport blog this week that the idea of getting so angry on the pitch that you try to blind someone is "insane" - comments backed by a large number of the article's readers.

Everybody knows rugby is a rough sport, and it prides itself on not being full of the softies that turn football into a laughing stock.

But, in the opinion of Beattie - who has admitted hitting people during matches - and the majority of his readers, gouging is a step too far.

"Rugby children, thanks to some very high-profile pieces of gouging, will copy what they are seeing. Until they are gouged themselves and can't see any more," the ex-number eight wrote.

His remarks were made after a 24-week ban was given to Julien Dupuy, who was found guilty of the offence.