Kristain Woolf disappointed with response to tackle on James Bentley

[josie andrews]

SAINTS coach Kristian Woolf has expressed his disappointment that the tackle that led to James Bentley being ruled out for an indefinite period with spinal ligament damage has gone unpunished.

Bentley left the field and is now seeing specialists to ascertain the full extent of the injury – and is fearful of it being an extended period on the sidelines for the dogged second rower.

Although Catalans heavyweight prop Sam Kasiano was sin-binned for the tackle no further action has been taken following the incident.

Woolf said: “It is not a real good one, James has got some ligament damage around his spine as a result of a crusher tackle.

“It is really disappointing that you have a tackle that is seen as a sin-bin on the field, resulting in an indefinite sort of injury in which we don’t quite know what the time frame is going to be there, yet the match review committee find that there is no charge to be laid there.

“I don’t think it was intentional from Sam Kasiano at all – accidents happen in our game and I am not pointing fingers there at all.

“But I am disappointed with the match review committee because I don’t think they have protected our player.

“There were enough pictures and different camera angles shown in the game, that it was obvious a bad position that he has been put in and a dangerous crusher tackle.”

The match review panel in deemed there was no charge for the incident, stating: “Attacking player (Bentley) tucks his head and is part of the actions of the tackle in pulling the defending player (Kasiano) onto him.”

https://www.sthelensstar.co.uk/sport/19 ... s-bentley/

[fozzieskem]

It was a clear crusher tackle but I do t think there was any malice in it so the sin binning was the correct decision,run at a big lump of a man and sadly accident happen

[Firestarter]

Unfortunately for bentley what goes around comes around

[the pieman]

unfortunately the Crusher type tackle is another one of those where the attacker can play the referee so to speak. I dont believe it has happened as much this season, but the previous 2-3 years it was almost every game that was being stopped because of it

generally in the game of RL the attacker will run forwards into or across the defenders and the problem doesnt happen. In the previous 2-3 years we had more instances of the player seemingly backing into the defender and doubling over, get up, hold neck / head, and slow play down so that the ref gives a penalty and bins / sends off the opposition player. Player gets up and carries on

whilst some will be crusher, there was also quite a lot where the player was milking the penalty

i havent seen the one from weekend, but have no sympathy for Saints as their fans dont believe they ever do anything wrong on the pitch and Bentley is a grub of a player who looks like he can dish it out but dont like taking it back

[fozzieskem]

Little doubt Bentley tucked his head as he went into Kasiano pure accident to me but he did land on Bentley for sure but no malice in it

[Dan2266]

Little doubt Bentley tucked his head as he went into Kasiano pure accident to me but he did land on Bentley for sure but no malice in it

Roby made a big contribution if you re watch it as well....

[fozzieskem]

Little doubt Bentley tucked his head as he went into Kasiano pure accident to me but he did land on Bentley for sure but no malice in it

Roby made a big contribution if you re watch it as well....

Not really he pushed big Sam but that’s all and goes down on the ball by the side of Bentley/Kasiano is all I feel

[Dan2266]

Little doubt Bentley tucked his head as he went into Kasiano pure accident to me but he did land on Bentley for sure but no malice in it

Roby made a big contribution if you re watch it as well....

Not really he pushed big Sam but that’s all and goes down on the ball by the side of Bentley/Kasiano is all I feel

Fair enough, looked to me at full speed that big Sam fell the way he did because of the Roby contact and where his feet subsequently ended up

[Jonathon Kerr (JK)]

Whenever a player decides to back into the tackle, there is always a chance for this to happen. Not all of them should lead to further bans, and as others have said, sin binning was sufficient.