New footage emerges of Stuart Hogg ‘thuggery’ as ball boy caught up in incident
Stuart Hogg and Thomas Ramos involved in incident during Top 14 match.
A sideline video captured by a supporter has given a clearer picture of what sparked the brawl involving Stuart Hogg and Thomas Ramos at the weekend.
Montpellier were taking on Toulouse in the Top 14 with the visitors 20-11 ahead going into the latter stages of the contest.
Les Rouge et Noir were inside the opposition 22 and on the attack, but the ball was spilled forward, which would have ordinarily resulted in a scrum.
Thrown into the ball boy
However, when Hogg took Ramos into touch, a brawl broke out. The former Scotland international took exception to the Frenchman throwing the ball away and he pushed Les Bleus’ playmaker into a ball boy.
The 29-year-old fly-half reacted, leading to a number of players from both sides getting involved, including Blair Kinghorn, Hogg’s former team-mate, who put the Scottish centurion in a headlock.
It didn’t appear to be an act of aggression but rather Kinghorn taking him away from the incident. However, the Montpellier players didn’t take too kindly to that action and threw the Toulouse full-back to the ground, exacerbating the issue.
At the end of it, Hogg and Ramos were both sin-binned and the game continued, ending in a 20-11 triumph for the defending champions.
Ramos commented on the scuffle, saying: “It was a slightly stupid incident from both us players. It’s not just because we’re not at home that we don’t show character. It shows the mentality of the whole team at the end of the match.”
すんげえの撮れた、
閲覧注意です?? pic.twitter.com/CpKUrq3MWL— いっくん (@ikuo_kobe) September 21, 2024
Social media reaction
Fans on social media have called for action against both players, especially with Hogg risking the safety of the ball boy by pushing Ramos into him.
“Here a child is knocked over – this child is assisting the game as a ball boy,” one person wrote.
“If sanctions don’t follow this, then the game is failing its very principles of respect toward the officials – shameful.”
Another added: “For senior internationals… unacceptable game doesn’t need that thuggery. Please make an example @WorldRugby we have young kids we are ‘selling’ the game to.”
Some disagreed, however, stating that a bit of niggle is simply a part of the game.
“It’s a rugby heat of the moment thing. Let it go. It’s not the worst thing ever to have happened,” one person wrote.
READ MORE: Top 14 round-up: Stuart Hogg cheap shot, Owen Farrell’s Racing 92 thrashed and Brits abroad impress
