Sam Burgess hits out at ‘very dangerous’ Mikey Lewis incident as ban warning issued
Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess
Sam Burgess and Willie Peters had differing views on Mikey Lewis’ sin-bin, with the Warrington boss describing the Robins star’s tackle as ‘very dangerous’.
After serving a four-match suspension, the Hull KR half-back marked his return with a try, but then received a late yellow card for having his studs raised when looking to apply kick pressure on Warrington youngster Ewan Irwin.
It was considered dangerous contact and saw Lewis miss the end of the game, and he now faces a nervy wait to see if the Match Review Panel will hand him yet another suspension.
Sam Burgess slams ‘very dangerous’ tackle
Burgess was not impressed with the tackle and thought Irwin was fortunate to come out of it unscathed – and said that had it happened in the NRL, Lewis would be ‘in a bit of trouble’. “I think the challenge at the back end of the game was a bad challenge,” Burgess said. “It’s a bad challenge. He’s very lucky he’s come out of that healthy.
“He (Irwin) is a tough kid. He played here at the back end of last year. Those were tough conditions.”
Burgess added: “You watch that back, it’s not a great challenge. It’s very dangerous. I’m not trying to make it worse than it is. You just have to watch it. It’s really dangerous. In the NRL, you’re going to be in a bit of trouble.”
Willie Peters defends Lewis after tackle
In contrast, Peters admitted he needed another look at the matter but wasn’t as cynical in his appraisal. “I need to have a look at it but look I don’t think there was any malice in it,” he said.
“I don’t think he intentionally went for him. I know Mikey’s done some silly things this year and you know that one there he was definitely going to put pressure on, I need to have a look at it properly but from what I saw there was no malice I don’t believe to go and hurt the player or have intent to hurt him, he was putting the pressure on.”
Peters added: He’s done some things before and you’re like that’s deliberate, you know and that’s why we haven’t fought certain things. This one I don’t I don’t think… he went to put kick pressure on and then the outcome wasn’t great.
“I also know Mikey well enough now and I know when he’s intentionally probably done something and when he hasn’t so he’s obviously upset.”
