Tigers handed large fine

Correspondent

Castleford Tigers have been fined £40,000 by the Rugby Football League after fans threw bottles onto the field following the Super League game against Catalans Dragons earlier in the season.

£20,000 has been suspended until the end of 2010, but the other £20,000 has to be paid immediately after the Tigers were found guilty of breaching the RFL’s Respect Code.

They were also found guilty of conduct prejudicial to the interests of the game and misconduct of their spectators after fans also tried to confront the game’s referee, Ian Smith, outside the changing rooms an action described by the tribunal as “completely unacceptable.”

Fans were incensed during the match after Smith referred a number of tries to the video referee, whilst also making a number of decisions against the Tigers despite video replays showing that he had in fact been correct.

The Tigers have since acted on the incident by installing CCTV in the ground but they have now also been instructed by the RFL to stop people from taking bottled beer onto the terraces.