Richie Myler explains Sam Burgess incident, insists he has ‘no hard feelings’

Hull FC director of rugby Richie Myler has played down the incident between himself and Warrington Wolves head coach Sam Burgess last weekend – saying that he was not the one who complained over the situation that led to Warrington being docked an interchange.

The Wolves were unhappy when they were reduced to seven interchanges for last week’s game at the Halliwell Jones Stadium after an administrative error. Warrington player Adam Holroyd wasn’t named in the Wolves‘ official squad list that was sent to clubs – though he was named in their squad online.

And Myler insists that he felt Warrington and Burgess believed he was to blame for the complaint: something he denied was the case.

“I don’t know whose fault it was,” the Hull director of rugby said.

“I wasn’t the one that flagged that they had named someone in the squad that wasn’t in there, I just got approached by the match commissioner and Sam Burgess, who was heated and animated before the game.

“I said I had no idea what he was on about and I didn’t believe it was my position to say whether they could or couldn’t have a sub back. I understand what he’s saying about player welfare, but I think that’s a bigger conversation that’s above me and above my role.”

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Myler continued: “I didn’t say anything. There was a miscommunication within the director of rugby role. They believed a director of rugby could have a say over how many subs you use. I politely asked the match commissioner whether that was my role, and he said no. Sam took offence to that, and that’s what it is.”

Myler played down the incident further by insisting he has no hard feelings towards Burgess, who appeared to shoulder barge Myler as he made his way down the tunnel before the Super League game on Friday evening.

“I think it was made more of than what it is,” he said. “I get it, it’s a story to drum up a bit of attention on us but there’s no hard feelings from me. I was asked the question, would I allow them to have a sub back, and I said I didn’t think I was qualified and it wasn’t my position to rewrite the rules of the RFL. I was told that wasn’t my position, but Sam took offence.”

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