Tata Steel will have to replay their Division One West home match against UWIC, after the original game was halted by the referee David Jones with a mere two minutes and four seconds left to play, due to a neck injury suffered by the students’ John Campbell. Paramedics attended to the player who was taken to hospital by air ambulance after a delay of around 40 minutes.
The Margam side were leading 23-10 at the time and there was confusion as to what would happen as it was so close to the end – and if the result had stood, Tata Steel would have taken top spot in the Division...
But the Welsh Rugby Union were quick to make a ruling yesterday and they declared that the match would have to be re-staged, although no new date has yet been fixed.
The Steelmen may well feel aggrieved at the ruling, as the referee decided not to wait for an assessment from the air ambulance crew to establish a conceivable treatment time for the injured player and to be safely removed from the field. This was very much unlike the Neath game two weeks ago where under similar circumstances, they waited 40 minutes for a player to be treated before completing their game.
However, it means that for the first time, Llangennech find themselves at the summit, two points clear of UWIC and Whitland with the Steelmen following close behind.
"It is unfortunate but these things happen. Our main concern was of course for the player. Naturally it is disappointing because we were well ahead in the match and heading for the top spot," said Tata secretary Elwyn Morgan.
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