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Super League: Nathan Brown and Shaun Wane fined for post-derby outbursts

Nathan Brown St Helens coach
Image: Nathan Brown: Accused referee Phil Bentham of an "absolutely shocking performance"

St Helens coach Nathan Brown and Wigan boss Shaun Wane have both been fined for their outbursts following last Friday's heated Super League derby.

Both were highly critical of the performance of the match officials after the Saints snatched a 16-12 victory at the DW Stadium.

Brown described the officiating as "horrible" and lambasted referee Phil Bentham for his "absolutely shocking performance".

Wane was furious with the decision to rule out a try for Warriors winger Joe Burgess and was heard afterwards making derogatory comments about video referee Ben Thaler.

The rival coaches were reported to the Rugby Football League, who have found both guilty of misconduct and of "engaging in conduct which is prejudicial to the interest of the game".

The RFL hit Brown with a fine of £1,000, half of which is suspended to the end of next season, while Wane was issued with a £500 fine, with half suspended.

Both men were also issued with warnings over their future behaviour.

Brown, fined £500 for a similar offence in April last year, has accepted his latest punishment while Wane has 14 days to lodge an appeal with an operational rules tribunal.

Meanwhile, Barrow player-coach Bobbie Goulding has been fined £250 for questioning the integrity of referee Gareth Hewer following his side's home defeat by Doncaster in a Championship match last month.

The 42-year-old former Great Britain scrum-half, who has made a playing comeback with the Raiders, is already serving a five-match ban after being sent off in that match for verbally abusing a touchjudge.

Goulding told a post-match press conference he was unhappy that a Whitehaven referee had been appointed to officiate a involving a Cumbrian club.

The panel gave Goulding a warning over his future conduct and suspended half the fine until the end of the 2015 season.

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