Phil Clarke slams Konrad Hurrell’s actions after red card

Last night’s clash between St Helens and Leeds Rhinos may have been decided by a Blake Austin drop goal but there were some key decisions which led up to it including former Rhino Konrad Hurrell’s red card.

The centre was sent off for a late hit on Richie Myler and for making contact with the head.

It led to the position that Austin would kick his drop goal from and Myler was key in causing the havoc that led to the try.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Jon Wilkin said Myler “is not daft” suggesting that he stayed down purposefully to spotlight the impact from Hurrell which had him sent off.

It may evoke memories of an incident where Myler was accused of doing something similar last season against Huddersfield Giants.

Wilkin said: “Richie Myler is not daft but if he has been hit late, Konrad Hurrell has hit him in the chin but that’s the kind of thing that goes unnoticed, that is something that doesn’t get picked up if you stay down.

“If you stay down, in the game of rugby league unfortunately that gets scrutinised.

“Konrad Hurrell has dropped his levels and put a shot on Richie Myler and just catches Richie Myler on the chin.

“He knows that if he stays down it will get looked at, if knows that if he stays down it will be looked at.”

However, after the game Wilkin’s fellow Sky Sports pundit Phil Clarke had no sympathy for Hurrell:

“Saints pride themselves on being aggressive, but you have to have composure with that. We have seen it with Sironen, Mata’utia and then with Hurrell.

“It is a red, he’s made direct contact with the head and he was late.”

He also slammed his conduct after receiving the red card:

“He has no excuse, it was a red card. His conduct afterwards might be criticised. Kicking a water bottle onto the pitch. It’s not the sort of behaviour they want to promote here.”