Warrington Wolves coach holds talks with RFL and calls on game to find ‘happy medium’ after Paul Vaughan ban
Sam Burgess (left) and Paul Vaughan (right) of Warrington Wolves
Warrington Wolves coach Sam Burgess says he appreciated the ‘honest conversations’ he had with the Rugby Football League following Paul Vaughan’s red card last weekend: but has called on the game to find a ‘happy medium’ when it comes to handing out cards and suspensions.
The Wire will be without key prop Vaughan for the remaining three games of the regular season after being sent off 11 minutes into their 16-12 defeat to Leigh Leopards last Friday for a Grade D head contact on Owen Trout.
Burgess made his feelings known on the red card in his Sky Sports interview after the game as well as in his post-match press conference: and the following day he spoke to Robert Hicks, the director of operations and legal for the RFL.
“I had a fair conversation with Rob Hicks on Saturday,” Burgess said. “I’d obviously had a bit of sleep since Friday night so it was a bit more balanced, but I think he’s in agreeance with some of my points.
“I understand the position with the insurance policies and I don’t want to bore everyone with the detail on that, but I think we’re all in agreeance with some aspects of it. As coaches and players, there’s some aspects of it that we have to concede.
“Did I get the answers I wanted? I don’t know if there are any answers in the present, but we’re all striving for the game to be better.
“We want it to be safe and I’m certainly not thinking otherwise, but we can do that by managing to keep 13 players on the field in safe manner. Exposing them to having 12 and 11 men for long periods of time is not safe.
“We’ve got to find a happy medium with it. I don’t know if anything will change in the short-term with it, but I appreciate the honest conversation I had with Rob.”
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Sam Burgess appreciative of RFL talks: but wants the game to find a ‘happy medium’
Vaughan appeared in front of an independent operational rules tribunal on Tuesday night after pleading guilty to the charge but challenged the grading: but the Grade D charge was upheld, with the tribunal deeming the grading correct, meaning no change to the three-match ban and £250 fine issued by the match review panel on Monday.
Whilst he has had to time to reflect on Vaughan’s red card, of which he now shares a more balanced view on the matter, Burgess still believes the incident didn’t warrant a sending off.
“He feels a lot of things because we’re in an exciting time of the year and he’s worked hard to help the team get here,” Burgess said of Vaughan’s emotions upon being suspended.
“I really didn’t think there was much intent in that tackle and having listened to him talk about it, neither did he. We felt there were mitigating factors in it, which is why we challenged it, but the framework in which we live in is pretty tough.
“We were probably going up a dead end in some respects but for Vaughany’s peace of mind and for us as a club, it was doing the right thing by Vaughany.
“I still don’t think it’s a red card, which may not be a popular comment for a lot of people, but we all have a responsibility as players, coaches and administrators to try and make the product as good as possible.
“I don’t know if 13 v 12 is the best product. That doesn’t mean you should have free reign to go around taking people’s heads off – that’s been illegal since the game started. I just think we can get trigger-happy and we need to calm down a bit with the cards.”
Burgess’ side will aim to return to winning ways on Saturday afternoon when they host neighbours St Helens at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
