It had been a largely uneventful first half in the Pro 14 battle between Munster and the Scarlets. A JJ Hanrahan penalty had tied up the game and Munster were hoping to bring a lead into the half time break when a fair innocuous looking fracas broke out in Thomond Park.
Scarlets lock Sam Lousi was the original transgressor, seemingly putting his hands in the eye of Chris Cloete. What followed was the usual rugby melee, a lot of dragging and shirt pulling. Players, officials and the crowd all expected it to peter out. That was until Lousi seemingly lost the plot, throwing two punches at Munster lock Fineen Wycherley, the first of which actually hit Hanrahan.
Things got very heated in Thomand!
The ferocity of the game reached boiling point with a few punches being thrown 😳
Decision is a red card for Sam Lousi 🟥#MUNvSCA #GuinnessPRO14 pic.twitter.com/TPRfLWkFhV— eir Sport (@eirSport) February 29, 2020
The punch on Wycherley in particular had an impact, splitting the eye of the Cork man, and sending him off to the blood bin. There wasn't much choice for the referee and the New Zealander was given a red card.
Munster added a try from the resulting penalty, giving them a 10-3 lead at the break, and a man advantage for the rest of the game.
In the second half, Munster would add three further tries, securing a bonus point 29-10 win over the Welsh side.
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