Challenge Cup disciplinary: Wigan Warriors duo handed suspensions with Wakefield Trinity man also banned
Wigan Warriors duo Harry Smith and Sam Walters have both been handed three-match suspension charges following their Challenge Cup quarter-final win over Wakefield Trinity.
Following the Rugby Football League’s match review panel sitting down on a Monday morning and reviewing all the incidents from the weekend’s Challenge Cup quarter-final action, a total of seven players from four different clubs have received charges and penalty points.
The biggest disciplinary flashpoint in Wigan’s 26-22 win over Wakefield came late in the first half, when Wakefield forward Jazz Tevaga was sent to the sin-bin for kicking out at Wigan winger Liam Marshall following a tackle involving the pair.
Tevaga was shown a yellow card at the time and has received a Grade D striking charge for the offence. Tevaga has received two charges following the quarter-final, the first being a Grade A late contact on the passer, receiving one penalty point, which takes him up to two penalty points in the previous 12 months. The second charge, the one for his sin-binning offence, has seen Tevaga receive 12 penalty points, taking him up to a total of 13.25, which results in a two-match ban for the Samoa international.
In the seconds after Tevaga’s strike on Marshall, Wigan halfback Smith has been charged with a Grade E offence for ‘unnecessary contact with a player who is/may be injured’ as he confronted Tevaga. As a result, he has been handed 18 penalty points, which takes his total to 18 in the previous 12 months, which carries a three-match suspension.
As for Walters, he has received a Grade E charge for headbutting against Wakefield’s Jay Pitts, resulting in 18 penalty points, which is his total for the previous 12 months, and also carries a three-match suspension.
Should any players and clubs wish to challenge the match review panel’s verdicts, they have until noon on Tuesday (April 14), and any appeals will be held later the same day.
In addition, Warriors hooker Brad O’Neill has been cleared of any wrongdoing after a spitting allegation was made against him in the Good Friday derby against St Helens. O’Neill had not been charged by the match review panel and the incident had been referred for further investigation, but it has now been confirmed that there will not be any further action taken against the 23-year-old.
Elsewhere in this week’s disciplinary, Hull KR centre Peta Hiku has been charged with Grade A late contact on the passer in their win over York Knights. He has received one penalty point, taking his total penalty points to 1.75, with no further action being taken.
Catalans Dragons duo Romain Navarrete and Chris Satae have both received Grade A late contact on the passer charges in their defeat to St Helens, receiving one penalty point each. Navarrete’s total now stands at 1.75, with Satae on 2.25, with no further action being taken for the pair.
Next up for Wigan is a Super League clash with Castleford Tigers at the Brick Community Stadium on Sunday afternoon, and they could be without two of their key players in Smith and Walters, should their charges be accepted and not be successful in potential appeals.