Fan takes legal action after being struck by rugby ball during All Blacks test in Dublin

This is understood to be the first case of its kind in rugby.

"Golfing cases are much more frequent than football, for example. Generally, a stadium and association have to take reasonable care as occupier towards spectators.

"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 or cricket ball, so there is less apparent risk involved in the activity for spectators."

Figures from the football league season in the UK between 2016-17 identified 101 cases of fans being hit by a ball but it is not known if any of these supporters launched legal proceedings.

"Cases like this really come down to the risks of watching the individual sport," O'Connor said. "Spectators will find it harder to succeed where certain risks of attending the sport are obvious.

"Spectators at rallying events, for example, run an obvious risk, and injured spectators at these events have failed in some recent cases."

This article first appeared on nzherald.co.nz and was republished again with permission.