Bermuda had a player wrongly sent off for eye-gouging as they slumped to a 41-0 defeat to USA South in the Rugby Americas North Under-19 Championships on Saturday.

Jahmali Bridgewater was dismissed early in the second half, although video footage of the incident shows he was not the culprit.

In fact officials met yesterday and decided that no offence of any kind had been committed, despite video of a USA South player claiming to have been gouged early in the second half.

Officials said that claim had since been dropped. As a result the red card has been reversed and no further action will be taken.

“Whilst we are pleased that the correct outcome [has] been reached, we are disappointed the impact of the decision had on the game,” a Bermuda spokesman said.

Bridgewater was sent off despite arriving at the breakdown after the referee had blown his whistle, and it is Camren Caines who was involved in making the tackle during which the incident allegedly took place.

Down 20-0 at the time of the sending off, it is unlikely that a full-strength Bermuda could have fought their way back into the game, despite claims to the contrary.

Indiscipline generally cost them dear on Saturday, with Aldon Campbell’s yellow card leaving them short-handed in a first half when Bermuda’s sloppy passing and poor handling gave USA South a helping hand they barely needed.

USA South scored early through Calvin Gentry, the centre, and moments later Grant Broeder, the full back, crossed to put his side 10-0 up after just nine minutes.

Bermuda regrouped, but tough tackling prevented them from getting out of their own half and the pressure finally took its toll.

Malcolm Easley, the wing, scored the first of his two tries to make it 15-0 at half-time.

Easley crossed again shortly after the break, and even at 20-0 down the cause was not lost. However, then came the sending off, followed quickly by another fumbled pass that allowed Andrew Rappe, the centre, to run in from 40 metres to make it 25-0.

Sean O’Driscoll added the first conversion of the day and from then on it was all about damage limitation for Bermuda.

Cordell Ramsey scored a sixth try and Rappe added his second with time almost up. O’Driscoll had the final say, sending over his conversion with the last kick.