Leigh awarded controversial penalty try

Leigh Leopards have been awarded a controversial penalty try in their opening round game against Salford.

Trailing 18-4, Leigh were given a leg up when Marc Sneyd was sin-binned following a break from Josh Charnley and moments later there was more drama.

After a break from Lachlan Lam and a try-saving tackle by Ryan Brierley five metres from the line, Gareth O’Brien jumped into dummy half and kicked through for Jack Hughes to chase.

Hughes looked likely to score only to be blocked off by Kallum Watkins in a blatant professional foul, with referee Jack Smith going to the video referee stating he believed it was a penalty try.

Brodie Croft questioned the call, with last season’s Man of Steel the only player that could have stopped Hughes scoring but video referee Liam Moore back the on-field call and awarded the penalty try.

Sky Sports commentator Jon Wilkin went one further by stating that Watkins should have been shown a yellow card to but either way the moment has the potential to swing the game Leigh’s way with the score now 18-10 in Salford’s favour.