Super League captain handed huge ban for punching after disciplinary tribunal

Catalans Dragons captain Benjamin Garcia has fronted a disciplinary tribunal after his red card for punching in Round 14 of Super League.

The Frenchman was handed a Grade E charge for ‘striking’ after Friday night’s Super League clash against Hull KR with Garcia’s actions quickly catching the attention of Monday’s disciplinary panel.

Garcia, who has an exemplary disciplinary record, grabbed KR captain Elliot Minchella by the throat before taking a swing at the oncoming Rovers players, causing a melee.

Sent off after just 26 minutes, Catalans would go on to concede 50 more points without their captain and now they’ll be without him for a considerable period of time.

Under the new disciplinary system, Grade E charges typically mean bans of a minimum of six weeks which would rule Garcia out for almost half of the remainder of the Super League campaign.

The Operational Rules Tribunal have met and confirmed their verdict.

Super League disciplinary verdict as Garcia handed four-game ban

To no-one’s surprise, Garcia has been banned, however, the Catalans captain has only been handed a four-game ban.

News of Garcia’s ban first broke when Acquiesce Sports Integrity, a company specialising in representing sportspeople at tribunals, took to X to announce that they had successfully represented the Catalans man and helped reduce the ban from the standard six to just four games.

An RFL statement then confirmed that news, revealing that Garcia had pleaded guilty to the charge which saw him handed 28 penalty points.

A total of 30 or more penalty points would mean a five-match ban.

He will now miss Catalans next four games, meaning he won’t feature against Leigh Leopards (H), Huddersfield Giants (H), Wakefield Trinity (a), Warrington Wolves (H), but he will be back for Les Dracs’ home clash against Hull KR.

Garcia’s actions were heavily analysed at the time, including by pundit Jon Wilkin who suggested that the Catalans captain took action through ‘frustration‘, labelling him as “the only guy having a crack”.

You can watch the offence for which Garcia was banned in the tweet below.

“Absolutely silly from Benjamin Garcia” 😬

Tensions boil over on the field between Hull KR and Catalans! pic.twitter.com/VZD48hrSCK

— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) June 13, 2025