Angry Wane slams Leeds’ Tautai comments

Wigan coach Shaun Wane has expressed some angry sentiments regarding Leeds Rhinos, and what he perceives as their ability to influence the RFL disciplinary processes.

Speaking at a press conference today, Wane insisted that comments made by Rhinos coach Brian McDermott after the Warriors’ recent 18-16 defeat at Headingley.

The Leeds coach spoke to the media about a Taulima Tautai tackle on Adam Cuthbertson which had attracted no penalty or censure from officials during the game.

McDermott insisted that leaving such ‘cannonball’ type tackles unpunished was dangerous, and could lead to serious injury.

Tautai was subsequently banned for two games, a punishment which was halved on appeal.

“Some of the comments form Leeds after the game – and before the match review panel – massively influenced everything,” Wane told Wigan Today.

“Which I think is really poor and disappointing. Not only [Brian McDermott], I’ve got Leeds players running to the referee [in protest].

“If that’s the way we’re going, I feel sorry for our game. When you go to a ref trying to get a player sent off – that’s not what rugby league is about.

“The system is fair. We get charged, we give our opinion, you win some and lose some.

“But you can’t comment after a game about something that happened, without a doubt the match review panel saw those comments and acted on it – without a doubt.

“And it’s not on. It’s not the right thing to do. There’s a process in place. It’s really, really poor.”

“He hit him in the hip, and Cuthbertson lifts his leg up. If a player can’t go in and make a proper rugby league tackle, when a bloke is in motion, then are we saying we can’t make tackles in case a player lands awkwardly?

“Because if we are, we’re going to change the game of rugby league.

“The panel agreed, he hit him in the hip, which is too high.

“If there’s a problem with T’s technique, then I’ll work on it – but the disciplinary panel saw sense and saw it wasn’t what everyone was talking about.”