London coach banned for six months

Correspondent

London Skolars head coach Joe Mbu has been handed a six month touchline suspension after being found guilty of a running in and punching incident during a brawl that erupted in the 69th minute of his side’s Co-operative Championship One match against Doncaster RLFC on March 20.

Mbu’s assistant for that game, Oliver Bloom, has also been suspended for six months for his involvement in the same incident.

Both Mbu and Bloom pleaded guilty to the charges and will be suspended for three months with immediate effect, with the remaining three months liable to be suspended pending good behaviour.

As well as the touchline bans, the London Skolars club were fined £2,500, with £500 payable immediately and the remaining amount suspended for six months.

Doncaster RLFC player Kyle Kesik has also been suspended for one match after he was found guilty of a Grade C running in and punching offence during the same incident. Doncaster RLFC have also been fined £1,000, with £250 payable immediately and the remaining amount to be suspended for six months.

Batley Bulldogs player Ash Lindsay has been banned for two games after he was found guilty of a Grade C offence of making dangerous contact resulting in an unacceptable risk of injury to an opposition player during the Bulldogs’ Co-operative Championship match against Featherstone Rovers.

Lindsay was also fined £50 after the RFL Disciplinary Committee ruled he had behaved in a manner contrary to the spirit of the game.