Aberavon and Merthyr set to investigate alleged fracas

ABERAVON and Merthyr rugby clubs have pledged to stage investigations amid claims of a major incident during Tuesday night’s Principality Premiership encounter at The Wern.

A fracas is said to have broken out as the sides walked to the dressing room for their half-time break, with claims visiting captain Joe Tomalin-Reeves was assaulted.

There are further unsubstantiated allegations online that a small section of supporters were involved.

The two clubs are looking into the matter, with Aberavon head coach Jason Hyatt confirming: “We will be investigating exactly what happened.

“By the time I arrived on the scene, the incident had calmed down.

“There were supporters around players, but I can’t say what had gone on beforehand.

“What I will say is there shouldn’t be supporters around players as they leave a pitch. We are trying to portray the Premiership in a good light and you want to do everything you can to minimise the possibility of anything going wrong.

“There were youngsters and elderly people there and it simply doesn’t look good if anything untoward happens. There should be stewards there, perhaps, to usher teams off.

“We have a code of conduct and we want to make sure none of our players breached it. The boys know when you pull on an Aberavon jersey you have to behave in a certain manner.

“If there is footage of the incident we will look at it.”

Premiership champions Merthyr won the game 48-19 after withstanding a challenge that saw the Wizards ahead with half-anhour to play.

They say they will also seek to find out what happened.

“I was on the other side but I heard there was a kerfuffle,” said Merthyr chief executive Nigel Davies. “We will be investigating because claims have been made and they can’t just be ignored.

“The first half of the match was surprisingly heated for an end-ofseason game with little on it. But the game finished and no-one seemed to speak about any incident afterwards. Some of the Aberavon boys were talking to our coach Dale McIntosh and everything seemed amicable.

“That said, we can’t accept it if there has been an incident going beyond the players at any point in the evening. What I will say is our ground is just a normal club ground and when you walk off you have to go past supporters. We haven’t had any issues before.

“But Jason makes a fair point. We have to reduce the potential for any such incidents.

“That isn’t to say it did unfold that way. But we will be trying to find out who did what and why.”

■ In the other midweek Principality Premiership clash, Ebbw Vale edged to a 15-11 victory at Cross Keys.