Lion gets a bath

Llanelli number eight Scott Quinnell ended up with a face that matched the colour of his scarlet jersey when he was sent off 10 minutes after arriving on as a substitute during a club match last weekend. The Lions and Wales international was unaware of an agreement between rival coaches Leigh James (Ebbw Vale) and Gareth Jenkins (Llanelli) and referee Nigel Williams.

James suggested that they might try out a new rule being mooted in Wales to improve the continuity of the game whereby a team going forward that fails to release the ball in the tackle is penalised. To ensure that teams don't simply ignore the proposed change, the fourth time a team is penalised for this transgression the guilty player is yellow carded and the next time the team step out of line the guilty party is sent off.

Quinnell had been on the pitch for less than 10 minutes when he took the ball into contact and heard a whistle. Assuming that he was about to be awarded a penalty, he was stunned when referee Williams said: `Right, not releasing the ball, that's the fifth time, you're off'.

Ebbw Vale prop Ieustyn Thomas joined him for an early bath before the end of the match. Television and written media were perplexed by the two sendings off not having been privy to the pre-match conversation between the coaches and the official. Welsh Director of Referees Clive Norling even received a phone call while in Australia wanting an explanation as to why it happened.