RFL explain ban for Hull KR man Jared Waerea-Hargreaves with two other incidents analysed including Jake Connor

The RFL have explained why Hull KR forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves was banned with updates on two other charges from Round Eleven, including why a Leigh Leopards man escaped a ban despite a Wigan Warriors man leaving the field on a stretcher.

Jake Connor’s charge was the third matter to be explained with the RFL confirming that the Grade A charge handed to the Super League Man of Steel leader was for an attempted headbutt, thrown towards Tom Briscoe.

Briscoe and Zak Hardaker appealed at the time and the replays did seem to show Connor moving his head towards the Hull FC man but no action was taken on-field, and only a Grade A charge of ‘attempted striking’ came in Monday’s Match Review Panel.

Two of the other notable charges went to Leigh’s Alec Tuitavake and Hull KR forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves with the latter copping a two-match ban for his high shot on Matty English.

Hull KR forward lands ban after “high level force” contact

Serious About Rugby League understand that the fact Matty English failed his Head Injury Assessment automatically saw JWH handed a Grade D charge as a minimum.

The injury sustained by English, which also saw him left bleeding from the mouth, meant that the Hull KR forward was deemed to have made “high level force” therefore worthy of a Grade D charge.

That meant 12 penalty points were headed his way with a further three for causing a player to be injured and unable to return to the field, ensuring a two-match ban and a fine.

Hull KR could appeal it but with the understanding that English’s HIA warranted a Grade D charge minimum then they’d be unsuccessful, and earn a further five penalty points and an extra game ban for the hassle of it.

How Leigh Leopards man escaped ban despite Wigan star’s scary injury

One of the other curious cases from this week’s Super League disciplinary was that of Alec Tuitavake with the Leigh Leopards forward handed a Grade B charge of dangerous contact for his crusher-style tackle on Zach Eckersley.

That saw the Wigan Warriors centre requiring medical attention for ten minutes before being stretchered off and sent to hospital for scans, which Wigan have since confirmed came back clean.

Clearly, Eckersley was unable to return to the game due to injury but no three point penalty for causing injury has been handed to Tuitavake on account of the fact that Wigan did not send in any formal medical information.

That’s a huge boost for Tuitavake and Leigh because it ensures he remains on 4.5 penalty points (which will drop to 3 when he pays his fine) and avoids a ban. Should the additional three points for causing injury have been added then the forward would be banned for Round Twelve.