Wigan Warriors forward Sam Walters has been handed a SEVEN-match ban following his red card in the Challenge Cup final, with team-mate Harry Smith also suspended for one game.
With just a couple of minutes left on the clock at Wembley on Saturday afternoon as Wigan thumped Hull KR 40-10 to lift the Challenge Cup, Walters was dismissed for a horror tackle on Bill Leyland which saw the hooker land on his head.
Walters became the first man since Richie Eyres in 1993 to be sent off in a Challenge Cup final, and just the third ever, with Syd Hynes also having been given his marching orders in 1971.
Just as was the case when Hull FC’s Yusuf Aydin committed the same offence a few weeks ago in a Super League game against Bradford Bulls, Warriors forward Walters has landed himself 35 penalty points.
And when added to the 4.5 that were already on his record, his running total for the last 12 month of 39.5 warrants a whopping seven-match ban.
Wigan duo banned as Sam Walters lands HUGE suspension following red card in Challenge Cup final
Back-rower Junior Nsemba was also involved in the tackle on Rovers interchange Leyland which resulted in Walters’ red card, but has received no punishment from the Match Review Panel (MRP).
However, half-back Smith has been charged for his high shot on Tom Davies in the first half on Saturday.
Having avoided a sin-binning on the day, the three penalty points he has received from the MRP are enough to bring about a one-match ban, with that because he already had 4.5 points on his record.
Smith – who missed the three matches which followed Wigan’s cup quarter-final win at Wakefield Trinity through suspension earlier this season – will now miss this weekend’s Super League game in Paris against Catalans Dragons.
Elsewhere, the only disciplinary charge for a KR player on the back of their heavy defeat at Wembley comes for forward Sam Luckley.
His is a minor one though, charged with late contact on a passer and receiving a single penalty points for that offence.
Luckley’s running points total is only at 1.75, meaning he’s nowhere near the six required for any sort of suspension.
Confirmation of this week’s three disciplinary charges can be seen in full below…
Sam Walters (Wigan) – Grade F Dangerous Throw/Lift (35 points) – Total Points: 39.5 – Seven-match suspension and fine
Harry Smith (Wigan) – Grade B Head Contact (3 points) – Total Points: 7.5 – One-match suspension
Sam Luckley (Hull KR) – Grade A Late Contact on Passer (1 point) – Total Points: 1.75 – No Further Action