Should Leigh have had a penalty try after Ryan Brierley yellow card?

PICTURE BY VAUGHN RIDLEY/SWPIX.COM - Rugby League - Gillette 4 Nations Final 2011 - England v Australia - Elland Road, Leeds, England - 19/11/11 - Penalty Try on the big screen.

Leigh Leopards needed to start the second half well after they fell 16-6 behind against Salford Red Devils at halftime.

The Leopards did just that with Edwin Ipape tearing through the Salford defence on the back of quick rucks.

The first break yielded no reward but the next saw him head for the right corner but a brilliant cover tackle from Ryan Brierley denied him.

However, as Ipape looked for a quick play the ball knowing that almost a certain try was beckoning the Leopards with few defenders back and attackers waiting, Brierley held onto the leg of Ipape stopping a quick play the ball.

As Kyle Amor said on commentary: “Viewers may think Ryan Brierley has been hard done by their but he knows what he is doing.”

And it could be argued that he knew that he was stopping a certain try and if so it begs the question why aren’t these offences punished with a penalty try as well as or instead of a yellow card.

It would certainly stop players from doing as such but it could be seen as harsh.

In the end, Leigh did get their try as Tom Briscoe finished in the corner and Salford are hanging on with a man down so maybe the decision  was an apt punishment.

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