The incident appalled viewers and sparked a widespread reaction
07:56, 09 Mar 2026Updated 07:56, 09 Mar 2026
France’s Oscar Jegou has been cited(Image: BBC)
France’s Oscar Jegou has been cited over an alleged eye gouge incident in the Six Nations match against Scotland at the weekend.
The flanker appeared to make contact with Scotland hooker Ewan Ashman’s eyes in a maul just before Darcy Graham scored his second try at Murrayfield.
Jegou has now been cited for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.12: A player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone (Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm, shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling, tripping or kicking).
He will face a panel at 9.30am on Tuesday.
A Six Nations statement read: “France (No. 7), Oscar Jégou, will attend an independent disciplinary hearing after he was cited for an act of foul play contrary to Law 9.12 (A player must not physically or verbally abuse anyone. Physical abuse includes, but is not limited to, biting, punching, contact with the eye or eye area, striking with any part of the arm, shoulder, head or knee(s), stamping, trampling, tripping or kicking) in the Men’s Six Nations Championship match between Scotland and France on Saturday 7th March 2026.
“The player will attend the hearing via video conference before an independent Disciplinary Committee comprising Simon Thomas (Chair), Christopher Morgan and John Langford.
“The hearing will take place on Tuesday 10th March 2026 at 9.30am (GMT).”
Footage of the incident has sparked a huge reaction online, with former internationals Sam Warburton and John Barclay speaking about it on BBC’s Rugby Special.
Warburton said: “Pressure does funny things to players and this was during that third quarter. We all remember the (Eben) Etzebeth incident during November and I remember thinking, when there was so much publicity around that, that no player was going to be dull enough to put their hands anywhere near.
“But that’s a blatant straight red and there’s no defence for that. You know what a ball feels like. That doesn’t feel like a ball. You know as a player, you can feel where your hand is going. That’s a straight red card. I don’t think there’s any arguments about that.”
Get the latest Wales Rugby merch at Kitbag
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
from £5
Kitbag
The Six Nations is running from February 5 to March 14 and Wales Rugby fans can get the latest jerseys, hoodies and more at Kitbag.
Barclay added: “People might look at that and think the game was won. But if he goes off at that point, France are down to 14 men for the rest of the game. 47-14 down. Do France come back and score to get the bonus point? I don’t know. But you don’t want to see those kind of things to get missed.”
Former World Rugby referee Nigel Owens was surprised the incident wasn’t picked up by the TMO.
“It definitely should have been looked at,” he said on the BBC’s coverage at the full-time whistle. “It doesn’t look good, to be honest.
“Looking at that footage, that player is going to be in a bit of trouble. There will be a process in place now to deal with that, but it should have been looked at it in the game, because it is quite clear what the actions were.
“It was a great game of rugby and it didn’t really matter in the context of the game, but on another day, in games where the score is tight, things like this are the ones where you really want the TMO to come in, for the clear and obvious. Even if they look at it and then decide.”
Scotland won the match 50-40, with the Six Nations title going down to the final weekend.