Wigan Warriors prop Ethan Havard to miss Challenge Cup semi-final after unsuccessful appeal
Wigan Warriors prop Ethan Havard will miss Saturday’s Challenge Cup final against St Helens after the club were unsuccessful in their appeal to have his charge downgraded.
Following Monday’s meeting of the Rugby Football League’s Match Review Panel, the 25-year-old prop received a Grade B head contact charge following their 38-14 win over Bradford Bulls on Saturday, with the points coming from it resulting in him receiving a one-match ban charge as a consequence of the total penalty points that are already on his disciplinary record.
Havard received three penalty points for the Grade B offence, taking his total points to 6.5, which meant he had surpassed the six-point threshold that warrants a one-match suspension.
The Warriors had the right to appeal Havard’s charge and did so at an Operational Rules Tribunal on Tuesday evening, which indicated they were hopeful of having Havard’s charge downgraded so he could feature in Saturday’s Challenge Cup semi-final against Saints in Warrington.
However, the club were unsuccessful in Havard’s appeal, with the tribunal having found the grading to be correct, meaning Havard’s one-match ban and three penalty points remain.
In today’s disciplinary rules, if a club fails to overturn an appeal at a hearing, then an extra five penalty points are immediately added to a player’s record, meaning Havard now has a total of 11.5 penalty points within the last 12 months.
An RFL statement read: “Wigan Warriors’ Ethan Havard has been unsuccessful in his challenge of a Grade B Head contact charge. The player pleaded guilty but challenged the grading.
“A tribunal found the grading to be correct.
“Harvard’s one-match suspension and three penalty points remain. An additional five penalty points are added, taking him to 11.5 points. Havard is also fined £1,000, and Wigan have lost their appeal bond.”
Given that Havard has started nine of his 11 appearances for Wigan this term, his absence is no doubt a blow for Matt Peet’s side, who will head into Saturday’s semi-final without winger Liam Marshall and star man Bevan French, who are both sidelined with significant hamstring injuries.
On a brighter note, the Warriors will be able to welcome back Harry Smith and Sam Walters, both of whom have now served their three-match suspensions they received following their Cup quarter-final win over Wakefield Trinity last month.