Akauola avoids action for Smith collision as Hill lands two-match ban

There was mixed news for Warrington following the RFL disciplinary review of the weekend’s games.

Prop Chris Hill has been handed a two-match penalty notice for a dangerous tackle on England team-mate Mark Percival during his side’s 21-10 defeat to St Helens.

His co-captain Jack Hughes was issued with a caution for a shoulder charge on Tommy Makinson which earned him a spell in the sin bin.

But fellow forward Sitaleki Akauola avoided any action for the collision in the third minute that saw Saints hooker Aaron Smith stretchered off after a lengthy stoppage.

Saints coach Justin Holbrook raised an issue with Akauola’s ball-carrying technique, but the panel ruled the contact was accidental.

After the game on Friday, Wolves coach Steve Price said: “There’s nothing wrong with it (Akauola’s ball carry) whatsoever.

“The game has been going over 100 years. Players have been running like that.

“Some teams need to look at how they tackle. There’s no intent, he’s not raising any elbows, he’s not raising knees.

“They’re copping hard bits of his arm you could say, so there’s nothing wrong with it at all.”

Meanwhile, Saints forward Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook was also cautioned for disputing the decision of a match-official.

Also receiving cautions from the panel were Tyrone McCarthy (Salford) and Romain Navarrete (Wigan), while Huddersfield hooker Kruise Leeming avoided a ban for a grade A dangerous tackle in their loss to Wakefield.