LONDON: Wigan’s Ben Flower has been banned for six months over his shocking Super League Grand Final attack on St Helens’ Lance Hohaia, the Rugby Football League (RFL) announced yesterday.
Hohaia struck Flower with his forearm in the second minute of Saturday’s match at Old Trafford and the Wales forward retaliated by punching him to the ground and then striking him in the face as he lay on his back.
Flower, 26, admitted to a Grade F offence at an RFL disciplinary tribunal in Leeds and will not be able to play competitive rugby again until April next year.
“Ben Flower of @WiganWarriorsRL banned until April 14 2015 after being found guilty of Grade F violent and aggressive punching v @Saints1890,” the RFL said in a posting on its official Twitter page.
Flower will miss 13 matches, including two pre-season trials, Wigan’s World Club Challenge meeting with Brisbane Broncos on February 21, and the first 10 games of the 2015 Super League campaign.
It is the second-longest ban of the Super League era, after the seven-month suspension handed to the late former Wigan hooker Terry Newton in 2005 for assaults on St Helens pair Lee Gilmour and Sean Long. Wigan general manager Kris Radlinski said that Flower would not appeal against the RFL’s verdict.
New Zealand international Hohaiha, 31, had earlier accepted a one-match suspension after submitting an early-guilty plea to a less serious Grade B charge.
Flower could now face criminal proceedings after St Helens chief executive Mike Rush revealed that he had spoken to police about the incident, which overshadowed his club’s 14-6 victory.
“I can confirm I have spoken to the police, but we will allow the RFL to carry out their due process before making any further comment,” Rush said.
Flower, the first player to be sent off in a Super League Grand Final, apologised for his actions in a statement released by Wigan on Sunday, saying he was “devastated” about what he had done.
During Tuesday’s hearing, Radlinski read out a statement in which he apologised on Flower’s behalf.
“Wigan Warriors would like to go on record in saying that the RFL disciplinary committee handled a very difficult situation with professionalism and integrity,” he said. “We fully support their assessment of Saturday night’s incident involving our player, Ben Flower. We will be making no appeal.”AFP
