'It is being refereed differently' - Sky Sports duo react to Marc Sneyd tackle
Rugby League’s new framework regarding accidental head-on-head contact was in effect during Salford Red Devils’ match against Wigan Warriors on Thursday night, with an incident between Marc Sneyd and Patrick Mago bringing some attention before half-time.
Sneyd’s accidental contact on Mago saw the latter go off for a HIA, which he passed, with referee Chris Kendall issuing no card for the challenge.
The RFL changed their framework after Hull FC’s Fa’amanu Brown’s red card at Warrington Wolves, with Sky Sports duo Jon Wilkin and Sam Tomkins suggesting that Super League is now being refereed differently—and for the better.
Wilkin said: “Put that next to the Fa’amanu Brown one, put those two together, and it is being refereed differently now, but we have to celebrate the fact the referees have seen it and have changed.”
Tomkins, when asked by presenter Brian Carney if there was any malice in Sneyd’s tackle, said: “I don’t think there’s any malice, but if this was rounds one or two, he’d be on a yellow or maybe even a red – so it is being refereed differently.”
But there was no issue with the pundits on that front, with Tomkins adding: “Marc Sneyd deserves to still be on the field; there’s no malice on it, people don’t deserve to get cards for that.”