Why St Helens star avoided ban and Hull FC prop didn’t

St Helens star Sione Mata’utia split Leeds Rhinos star James Bentley in half in one of the best tackles you will ever see if Bentley had the ball.

Mata’utia wasn’t carded for the incident but was penalised. He has also avoided a ban for the incident now that the Match Review Panel has confirmed that he would not be charged for the incident. This is despite the fact James Bentley was forced off the field with a head knock.

Then on Saturday, Franklin Pele of Hull FC hit Brad Dwyer of the Leigh Leopards off the ball and was penalised.

Unlike Mata’utia, he was sin binned and was then charged by the Match Review Panel and hit with a Grade C and subsequently banned.

Many may question what the difference was, after all Bentley was the one who was injured unlike Brad Dwyer who was fine to keep playing.

So why? Well, one key element is the fact that Mata’utia completed the tackle properly whilst Pele only made contact with the back/side of Dwyer creating a whiplash effect which over the last few years has been the sign of an offence.

The RFL minutes stated: “Dangerous Contact – A defending player makes contact with an opponent after the ball has been released by an opponent in a vulnerable position which causes flexion to the head, neck or spinal column on an attacking player, which poses an unacceptable risk of injury to that player. Grade C.”

Jon Wilkin has his say on St Helens tackle

Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin had a different view as he said it was just a penalty with no suggestion that there should be a ban.

He said: “The ball is released by James Bentley and he is absolutely carved in two by Sione Mata’utia, it’s a late tackle.

“It’s a late tackle but nothing more. It’s a penalty and Bentley has stayed down and you can see why because he’s been hit very hard there.

“The referee has given a penalty, that’s all it will be. James Bentley will now go off for a head assessment because he’s felt the full effects of that.

“It’s given Leeds another chance but now they have lost one of their best players for the rest of the game, it’s a hard game at times.”