Rugby Player Tries To Pet A Lion, Watch What Happens Next
Scott Baldwin was labelled 'stupid' by team coach Steve Tandy after he put his hand through a fence and was bitten by a lion in South Africa.
Highlights
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Rugby player bitten by lion at a South Africa game park
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Scott Baldwin put his hand through the fence to pet a lion
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Team coach labelled Baldwin 'stupid'
A trip to a South African game park turned out to be a nightmare for one Welsh rugby player when he decided to get a little to close to a lion. Scott Baldwin, capped 34 times by Wales, was bitten by a lion in South Africa when he put his hand through a fence to pet the animal. Baldwin, who plays for Ospreys, was ruled out of his team's match against Cheetahs in the Pro14 and his coach didn't have too many kind words for the Welsh hooker, labelling him 'stupid'.
Scott Baldwin was ruled out of the Ospreys game against the Cheetahs because he got bitten by a Lion!! You just can't make it up!pic.twitter.com/pDOydDCM5c
— EatSleepRugby (@eatsleeprugby) September 29, 2017
Baldwin later took to Twitter to apologise to the Ospreys fans, saying "should of know he wouldn't  be impressed with me stroking his lioness before introducing myself to him first". Â
1/3 Sorry all Ospreys fans for letting you and the team down by missing the game through the bite!
— scott baldwin (@scottbaldwin2) September 30, 2017
2/3 should of know he wouldn't be impressed with me stroking his lioness before introducing myself to him first @AndyGoode10 #MyBadpic.twitter.com/cSclBsvS72
— scott baldwin (@scottbaldwin2) September 30, 2017
3/3 and for those asking my hand in on the mend thankfully & should be up & running round soon enough thanks for your support & concern
— scott baldwin (@scottbaldwin2) September 30, 2017
Ospreys went on to lose the match 25-44 to the Cheetahs, a record-equalling fourth defeat in five Pro14 matches for the club, and after the game coach Ospreys Steve Tandy, not mincing any words, took Baldwin to task.
"It was pretty stupid of Scott and he is pretty lucky," Tandy told reporters in Bloemfontein Friday.
"I do not know what kind of wildlife show Scott has been watching where you pat a lion on the head as if it is a kitten.
"It is probably one of the silliest things I have ever been involved in. Thankfully, he is okay and should be playing again in a couple of weeks."
Tandy cleared the game lodge of any responsibility for the incident, saying the visiting Welsh party were told not to stick hands into the lion enclosure.
"It was a good environment and we were told how far back to stand," said the coach. "It had nothing to do with where we were."
(With AFP Inputs)