Gavin Quinnell loses sight in eye

[TRF_Olyy]

After an injury sustained against Cross Keys for Llanelli Gav has lost sight in his left eye

Llanelli have filed a citing complaint to the WRU, and filed an assault claim with the police.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/rugby_union/welsh/9056033.stm

Don't know the circumstances, but obviously Llanelli feel it was some seriously foul play to cite and report to the police.

Doesn't mention it in the article, but is that his career gone now? I mean, can you play with only eyesight in one eye?

 

[dullonien]

Terrible news. He must to totally gutted after finally getting a contract back at the Scarlets. I doubt he'll be able to play at the top level anymore as his sense of depth will be effected. Am I right, or can the body adapt?

If this is something more than an accident, which it appears to be then I can see a jail sentance ahead for the guilty party if video footage of the incident is available. Hopefully now the IRB will take eye gouging seriously, I'm talking years worth of bans for serious incidents!

 

[durbutter]

I heard it was a deliberate stamp.

Shocking stuff.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Sad news indeed.

Be interesting to find out in due course what caused the damaged, id expect the dvd to be leaked at some point also.

 

[Teh Mite]

Quinnell's sight not saved

The game of rugby was saddened on Thursday to hear that an operation could not save the sight in the left eye of Scarlets forward Gavin Quinnell.

26-year-old Quinnell sustained the injury following an incident in a Welsh Premiership match where his team Llanelli fell to defeat at Cross Keys.

But following surgery at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital, the worst news was confirmed for the player, who is the younger brother of former Wales and Lions number eight Scott.

"The Welsh Rugby Union has received a citing complaint from Llanelli RFC with regards to an incident that took place during the club's Principality Premiership match at Cross Keys RFC on Saturday, 2 October," said an earlier WRU statement.

"The process is now in the hands of the WRU disciplinary panel in accordance with the Union's rules and regulations."

http://www.planetrugby.com/story/0,25883,3551_6432377,00.html

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Merged topics!

 

[nickdnz]

Yeah, just heard about this. Shocking stuff. If it was foul play, then a life ban and even a criminal sentence should ensue. I don't think it would have been deliberate though, at least not to that extent. Really horrific. I can't think of any instances in which somone with one eye continued to play top level rugby, but that's because there are so few incidents where players have lost their eye. I liked him as a player though, my condolences to him.

 

[Teh Mite]

Merged topics!

Oh balls, excuse the pun but I didn't see the original!

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Oh balls, excuse the pun but I didn't see the original!

No worries, just doing my job :lol:

 

[Seaton]

After an injury sustained against Cross Keys for Llanelli Gav has lost sight in his left eye

Doesn't mention it in the article, but is that his career gone now? I mean, can you play with only eyesight in one eye?

Don't know about top-level rugby, but I know somone who is blind in the left eye due to a fish hook accident, and he is currently in the Natal Sharks academy, and whilst he can't see anything up-close to his left face, he can spot and side-step players better than those with both eyes functioning.

Then again, he is 17 or so and the accident happened 8-10 years ago, so he might only have adapted due to the age at which it happened


The best of luck to Gavin Quinnell

 

[tinchy17]

Olyy does have a point. How's he going to play if he's blind in one eye?

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Some people have played rugby at the Premiership level with partial blindness and permanent blindness, what he probably wont be able to play is regional and test level rugby.

 

[MichaelBoard]

Gutted for the bloke. Totally agree with what people are saying that whoever did it should get a lifeban. He probably never intended to blind Gavin Quinnel but there was definitely intent to cause serious injury. Theres no place for that in rugby in my opinion.

 

[Teh Mite]

Amazing when you looks at all the forums how many times the word "gouge" has been used even though it turns out it was a stamp that caused it, just because it is his eyes.

Shows that;
1. This media obsession of gouging has warped perceptions.
2. It's been forgotten that stamping is THE single most despicable thing that happens in the sport (has it has far more potential then even gouging or fish-hooking to cause serious injury).

Such a shame for Big Gav, he was actually a cracking prop when playing at his best.

How about a more positive one of his moments;

<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xwHa3bthMaI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;hd=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xwHa3bthMaI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Amazing when you looks at all the forums how many times the word "gouge" has been used even though it turns out it was a stamp that caused it, just because it is his eyes.

Shows that;
1. This media obsession of gouging has warped perceptions.
2. It's been forgotten that stamping is THE single most despicable thing that happens in the sport (has it has far more potential then even gouging or fish-hooking to cause serious injury).

Such a shame for Big Gav, he was actually a cracking prop when playing at his best.

How about a more positive one of his moments;
<object width="480" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/xwHa3bthMaI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;hd=1"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/xwHa3bthMaI?fs=1&amp;hl=en_GB&amp;hd=1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="480" height="385"></embed></object>

Unfortunately ... he was a Flanker who could play Secondrow ...

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Scarlets have offered him a coaching role:
http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12321_6441339,00.html

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Just to inform those who want more information that the player in-question of the 'stamp' to the eye has been cited / is known to have done the damage. The DVD that is with the police and the WRU clearly shows the stamp from the player into the eye of Quinnell. For legal reasons I cannot name the player because the board might face legal acton.

 

[TRF_Olyy]

Good to hear,
That guy a few months ago got a lifetime ban for a handoff that went wrong, resulting in blindness for the other play - a stamp certainly deserves the same.

 

[TRF_Cymro]

Cross Keys arrest after Gavin Quinnell rugby eye injury

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-south-west-wales-11822503