A fan who attended the Ireland-All Blacks test last year has reportedly taken legal action against the Irish Rugby Union (IRFU) and the company that operates Dublin's Aviva Stadium after being hit in the head by a rugby ball kicked into the crowd.
The fan has made a personal injury claim after being struck by a ball during Ireland's historic 16-9 win over the All Blacks in Dublin on November 17, 2018.
According to The Times, the case is one of two lodged by separate female fans against the IRFU and New Stadium DAC, who operate the Aviva Stadium. Both were hit in the head by balls players had booted into the stands.
The other incident was during a European Champions Cup game between Munster and Saracens on April 22, 2017.
The Times report that the cases are the first taken by fans over injuries inflicted by a rugby ball. It is not clear if an All Black was involved in the incident which occurred during Ireland's first win over the All Blacks on Irish soil.
The IRFU this month said it would be "inappropriate to comment on any ongoing legal matter".
While incidents of balls striking fans are not uncommon in sports like golf, Tim O'Connor, a barrister with a special interest in sports law, said they were rare in "large-ball sports".
"Golfing cases are much more frequent than football, for example. Generally, a stadium and association have to take reasonable care as occupier towards spectators," O'Connor told The Times.
"This does not mean making it risk-free; rugby balls get kicked off the pitch in any game, and it would be impossible to play the game without this.
"A rugby ball is also large but not very heavy, not extremely hard, and moves slower than, say, a golf ball, sliotar [hurling ball] or cricket ball, so there is less apparent risk involved in the activity for spectators."
The Times report that figures from the 2016-17 English Football League season, covering 94 grounds, identified 101 cases of fans being "hit by a football". However, it is not known if any took legal action.