Wigan Warriors make decision on Morgan Smithies’ lengthy ban

Following the Betfred Challenge Cup Final, the Match Review Panel have issued the following sanctions:

Luke Yates (Huddersfield) – Grade A Dangerous Contact – 0 Match Penalty Notice
Luke Yates (Huddersfield) – Grade B High Tackle – 2 Match Penalty Notice
Morgan Smithies (Wigan) – Grade C High Tackle – 2 Match Penalty Notice
Morgan Smithies (Wigan) – Grade B High Tackle – 2 Match Penalty Notice

Wigan Warriors are the Challenge Cup winners for the 20th time in their history after a nailbiting 16-14 win over Huddersfield Giants at the weekend.

It took until the 77th minute for Liam Marshall to latch on to a Harry Smith kick through after Huddersfield had been leading for a period of time in the second-half.

Utter heartbreak was strewn amongst the Giants players’ faces at full-time as Wigan supporters ran into raptures, but a lot of rugby league fans were drawn to two incidents in the second forty minutes.

The Warriors’ Morgan Smithies is one of the toughest forwards in Super League, but he has sometimes been on the wrong side of the discipline line and that was evident in the Challenge Cup Final when he hit two Huddersfield players with swinging arms.

The second on Ricky Leutele was particularly bad following a break by the powerful centre, yet referee James Child decided not to send the Wigan for a ten-minute breather.

That, however, proved to be a big talking point until Marshall delivered the killer blow with two minutes to go.

But, after being handed two separate charges equating to a four-match suspension, Wigan have now decided not to appeal as have Huddersfield with Luke Yates’ two-match ban.