Matt Peet fears disciplinary clampdown could impact World Cup

Wigan coach Matt Peet believes the disciplinary clampdown in Super League could have a lasting effect on this year’s World Cup.

There have already been eight red cards in the first six rounds of Super League action. Lengthy bans are becoming more and more of a regular occurrence in the British game.

In Wigan’s 32-22 win over Castleford on Thursday, Tigers centre Mahe Fonua was sent to the sin bin what was deemed a late hit on Warriors full-back Jai Field.

On Fonua’s yellow card, Peet said: “Personally, I didn’t see what it was for and when it was live I thought it was harsh.

“When I’ve seen it back I feel it was harsh. Unfortunately, it seems like we are talking about this stuff every week.”

Matt Peet questions what rules are going to be played in World Cup

A meeting will take place on Wednesday between the Rugby Football League and the clubs. The main discussion will be over the current officiating situation and this season’s clampdown.

And Peet has concerns over what rules are going to be played in this year’s World Cup, with Super League being different to the NRL.

He said: “I feel a lot of it (discussions) should’ve been done before the season. I feel like now we are into it and its affecting results.

“What do you do? Do you change it mid-season and people who have been punished for things? I think we’ve left ourselves in a difficult position. But open dialogue is always healthy.

“I just wonder what rules we are going to play in the World Cup. We’ve got two hemispheres playing different rules.

“If our players are a bit stand-offish in the World Cup or if Australia, New Zealand and Tonga are overly aggressive then it could end up being the talking point of the World Cup which would be really sad.”

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