WATCH: Fans and players SHOCKED as Olly Woodburn receives second yellow card for bizarre penalty try incident

Players, coaches and fans alike were left scratching their heads after Exeter Chiefs wing Olly Woodburn was handed a second yellow card for preventing Chris Ashton from going over.

Leicester Tigers were 22-12 ahead when Jasper Wiese broke off the back of a scrum and took play into the Exeter 22.

The ball was shifted wide to Ashton, who was searching for his 100th Premiership try. The Leicester wing went towards the corner when he was tackled by Stuart Hogg before Woodburn came in to join him.

Together they just about took Ashton into touch, but referee Karl Dickson felt that the Exeter speedster had dived on the Tigers man, which by the letter of the law is a penalty.

And because that stopped a probable try, he was handed a yellow card. It was his second of the day, following a deliberate knock-on in the first half, and thus he was sent off.

There were several questions over the call with some wondering whether Woodburn actually dived on the player in the first place, but merely slid to complete a tackle.

Many felt it was harsh because there was nothing else the Exeter man could do in that situation.

Chiefs players who weren’t on the pitch for this encounter were particularly scathing of the decision to send him off.

Jack Nowell took to social media to tweet: “I’m actually in shock, like shock shocked. What the hell is happening? That’s one of the worst decisions I’ve ever seen. EVER.”

Fellow England international Henry Slade added: “I have no words. Mental,” with Luke Cowan Dickie stating: “Omg rugby has lost the plot. Yeah just let him score mate.”

Dickson may well have been correct in the letter of the law and that will no doubt be clarified going forward, but most felt that players should not be penalised for such actions.

Ashton’s record

Despite being denied there, Ashton would go on to score his 100th try as Leicester effectively secured their play-off place with a 62-19 triumph.

However, the highlight no doubt came when he touched down for his 101st Premiership score, as he jumped into the crowd and celebrated with a delighted young supporter.

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