by Chris Hunter

An alleged rugby eye-gouging incident in Maidstone has triggered an internet debate on the state of the sport.

Clarence Harding, 26, was blinded in one eye after being injured while playing for Gravesend against Maidstone on Sunday, January 17.

Police are now investigating the circumstances of the injury.

Reports of the incidents have been posted to rugby websites and the forums of rugby teams across the country since the weekend.

At rugbynetwork.net a fan identified as "Samquin" wrote: "I worry that some idiots think this is part of the game. The RFU needs to be firm. Any club with a continuing poor record of this type of behaviour may need to be penalised to ensure they root out the perpetrators.

"Lifetime bans from playing are necessary."

On the same forum another fan, "Twickenham Yeti" added that the offender, if found guilty, should "serve a substantial sentence of imprisonment to ensure that the game we know and love does not become more discredited."

At therugbyforum.com a player identified only as "Fa'atau82" wrote: "This is actually my local club. I have been gouged before quite seriously and it's affected my vision, so i feel for Clarence. I just hope they get the scum who did this, ban him for life, and for Clarence to get something out of this. It's appaling at any level, but when absolutely nothing is at stake, for me.. it makes it that much more sinister than just trying to get an edge over an opponent."

Let us know your thoughts below.

Gravesend Rugby Club released a statement about the incident at the weekend.

In it Mr Harding, who plays at number eight, described how he felt a finger in his eye while he was on the floor handing the ball back to his teammates.

He added: "It was over in an instant but it dawned on me very quickly that something pretty serious had happened. The ball was nowhere near my head at the time."

Gravesend club chairman Graham Haggar said photographs taken at the time were currently being studied.

The club, currently top of London One South division, has written to Maidstone Rugby Club to demand an investigation.

Mr Haggar said he was "deeply concerned about the horrendous injury" and that no Gravesend player had ever suffered an injury of this kind in the club’s 100 year history.

He added: "We are anxious to cooperate with any investigation to establish exactly what happened in the match and we will support our player and his family in any way we can.

"Without wanting to prejudge an investigation we regard eye-gouging as sly, cowardly and vicious, as does the rest of the rugby fraternity. It has no place in our sport or in any other activity.

"Any player found to have committed such an act should be banned from rugby for life and should face the full weight of the criminal law."

Police say they are investigating an allegation of grievous bodily harm in which a 26-year-old man sustained a "serious injury to his eye" during a rugby match at the sports field at Mote Park, at about 2.20pm on Sunday January 17.