Paul Wellens accuses RFL of failing to protect players as St Helens suffer four injuries involving same player
Posted: Tue Jul 25, 2023 4:59 pm
The Saints are have suffered two-season ending injuries.
Paul Wellens says the Rugby Football League has failed its players after not taking action on Leigh Leopards forward John Asiata after he injured four St Helens players in the Challenge Cup semi-final.
Agnatius Paasi is set for nine months on the sidelines after an incident involving the Leopards captain while Alex Walmsley's season has also been finished after a similar tackle. Both Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Morgan Knowles have suffered short-term injuries too.
In an explosive press conference, Wellens made a number of strong comments. Among the 15-minute address he:
* Accused the RFL of failing in its duty to protect players
* Asked why the Match Review Panel underwent a different procedure to the one Morgan Knowles was subject to after Mike Cooper's injury
* Stated John Asiata's tackle technique was reckless and dangerous
* Claimed Alex Walmsley is "second guessing" whether he wants to play rugby league
Wellens gave an initial statement, which you can watch below, before going into further detail on his thoughts.
"In Agnatius and Alex we have two extremely disappointed, angry, upset players that they've been left in this position and the game hasn't protected them," he said.
"It's a long road ahead, especially for Agnatius. Alex is twelve weeks, which doesn't sound a lot when you compare it to Agnatius, but at the same time Alex Walmsley, at this moment in time, is second guessing whether rugby league is the sport for him. I can understand why.
"We come down now so hard on players with head injuries and we've lost another guy, we accept that charge. But I was a player who played a long time, I'd much rather be clipped around the head than someone dive at me knee and blow it to bits. Are we taking more things serious than others?
"I've spoken to numerous people involved in the game over the last 24 hours since that game and not one of them have said that's a fair tackling technique. Quite frankly, it's horrific. Leigh play Wigan at the weekend and if I'm say there as Matty Peet, I'm wondering what the heck lies in store for my players at the weekend because basically, as a game, we've told him he can do that. How we can sit here comfortable with that, with whatever position you are in rugby league, I'll never know."
He added: "What we've effectively done by not charging him is tell thousands of people up and down the country playing rugby league at the weekend that that tackle technique is OK. That's what the governing body has done. I'm sure they know that's not OK but they had an opportunity to make a strong decision and took a weak one. In doing so, have potentially put thousands of players at risk.
"I would implore everyone, at all levels to not teach or allow your players to tackle in that many because the outcomes can be quite severe. I reckon there are a lot of people in the game that won't. But if there's one person who thinks that's a good idea off the back of that, that's on the RFL's head."
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... g-27393044
Paul Wellens says the Rugby Football League has failed its players after not taking action on Leigh Leopards forward John Asiata after he injured four St Helens players in the Challenge Cup semi-final.
Agnatius Paasi is set for nine months on the sidelines after an incident involving the Leopards captain while Alex Walmsley's season has also been finished after a similar tackle. Both Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook and Morgan Knowles have suffered short-term injuries too.
In an explosive press conference, Wellens made a number of strong comments. Among the 15-minute address he:
* Accused the RFL of failing in its duty to protect players
* Asked why the Match Review Panel underwent a different procedure to the one Morgan Knowles was subject to after Mike Cooper's injury
* Stated John Asiata's tackle technique was reckless and dangerous
* Claimed Alex Walmsley is "second guessing" whether he wants to play rugby league
Wellens gave an initial statement, which you can watch below, before going into further detail on his thoughts.
"In Agnatius and Alex we have two extremely disappointed, angry, upset players that they've been left in this position and the game hasn't protected them," he said.
"It's a long road ahead, especially for Agnatius. Alex is twelve weeks, which doesn't sound a lot when you compare it to Agnatius, but at the same time Alex Walmsley, at this moment in time, is second guessing whether rugby league is the sport for him. I can understand why.
"We come down now so hard on players with head injuries and we've lost another guy, we accept that charge. But I was a player who played a long time, I'd much rather be clipped around the head than someone dive at me knee and blow it to bits. Are we taking more things serious than others?
"I've spoken to numerous people involved in the game over the last 24 hours since that game and not one of them have said that's a fair tackling technique. Quite frankly, it's horrific. Leigh play Wigan at the weekend and if I'm say there as Matty Peet, I'm wondering what the heck lies in store for my players at the weekend because basically, as a game, we've told him he can do that. How we can sit here comfortable with that, with whatever position you are in rugby league, I'll never know."
He added: "What we've effectively done by not charging him is tell thousands of people up and down the country playing rugby league at the weekend that that tackle technique is OK. That's what the governing body has done. I'm sure they know that's not OK but they had an opportunity to make a strong decision and took a weak one. In doing so, have potentially put thousands of players at risk.
"I would implore everyone, at all levels to not teach or allow your players to tackle in that many because the outcomes can be quite severe. I reckon there are a lot of people in the game that won't. But if there's one person who thinks that's a good idea off the back of that, that's on the RFL's head."
https://www.examinerlive.co.uk/sport/ru ... g-27393044