Eerie replay: Rugby player bites ear

Web posted January 12, 1998

Associated Press

BATH, England (AP) -- In an eerie similarity to the recent Mike Tyson-Evander Holyfield heavyweight title fight, a rugby player had part of his ear bitten off during a match.

Rugby union officials would not say exactly what happened, but Ashley Rowden, who refereed Saturday's match between Bath and London Scottish, said Scottish player Simon Fenn had part of his left ear lobe bitten off.

``In my experience as a referee, I have never experienced anything like it -- the player was clearly missing some part of his ear lobe -- and it looked quite bad,'' Rowden said. ``There was a lot of blood.''

Fenn, a 26-year-old Australian making his debut with London Scottish in the Tetley's Bitter Cup fourth-round match, was taken to a hospital and asked not to comment by team officials.

He underwent plastic surgery Sunday, getting 25 stitches in the ear, and might still need a skin graft.