Somerset grandmother died after being hit by rugby ball – inquest

John Wrelton, chairman of Taunton RFC, said spectators were encouraged not to stand too close to the touchline to avoid collisions.

However, he had not considered being hit by a rugby ball to be “dangerous”.

“In a lifetime involved in the game and having attended probably thousands of rugby matches, balls go into crowds and sometimes they bump people and sometimes they knock beer over,” he said.

“It is impossible to stay face forward to a match for every minute of the game. Genuinely I have never thought of it as a life-threatening risk.”

Since Mrs Selwood’s death, changes have been made to extend the gaps between youth matches so warm-ups are not taking place on adjacent pitches hosting matches.