RFL hit Carney with racial abuse charge

Salford’s Justin Carney could be banned for at least eight matches after being accused of racially abusing an opponent.

Carney was sent off by referee Jack Smith during the first-half of the Red Devils’ 29-22 win over Toronto Wolfpack in the fifth round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup at the AJ Bell Stadium on Sunday.

It is thought he was shown the red card for comments directed at Toronto’s former Leeds prop forward Ryan Bailey.

Salford announced after the match that they would be carrying out their own investigation into the circumstances leading up to the dismissal and the Australian has now been charged by the Rugby Football League’s match review panel with verbal abuse based on race or colour.

The 28-year-old is facing a grade F offence, the most severe category, which normally carries a ban of eight matches or more. Alternatively, if found guilty, he could be handed a fixed time period of suspension.

Carney does not have the option of an early guilty plea and will face a hearing in front of an independent disciplinary tribunal in Leeds on Tuesday evening.