Eye Gouge denied by Brive's Mathieu Ugalde despite incriminating footage

Brive flyhalf Mathieu Ugalde has been cited for the alleged eye-gouge that was seen during the weekend's ugly battle with Grenoble in the Top 14, the same match that saw three players red carded for fighting. Ugalde has since denied the committing the offence. As Grenoble scored a try in this controversial match, Ugalde fell on top of tryscorer Armand Battle and appeared to place his fingers over the eyes, albeit with a clenched fist. The footage and imagery has spread far and wide this week with plenty of condemnation, and rightly so, but the man himself feels that he had a closed first and…