Widnes Vikings captain Chris Houston given two-match ban

Image: Chris Houston will miss Widnes' next two fixtures

Widnes captain Chris Houston has been handed a two-match penalty notice for disputing a referee's decision.

The veteran Australian forward, who is retiring at the end of the season, was sent off towards the end of the Vikings' Betfred Super League defeat at Salford last Thursday for mockingly applauding James Child's decision to send him to the sin bin for a foul tackle.

Houston was sent off during Widnes' loss at Salford last Thursday

Houston was charged with a grade B offence by the Rugby Football League's match review panel and has accepted the decision, meaning he will miss the Super League games against Wakefield and Hull FC.

Catalans Dragons prop Sam Moa has also been given a two-match penalty for a high tackle in his side's defeat at Huddersfield, while David Fifita was cautioned for a dangerous tackle during Wakefield's loss to Warrington.

Image: Ben Thaler takes charge of Saturday's Denver Test

Meanwhile, Ben Thaler has been selected to referee Saturday's Test match between England and New Zealand in Denver.

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RFL colleagues Chris Kendall and Robert Hicks are touch judge and reserve referee respectively, with New Zealand's Chris McMillan the other touch judge and Jarred Maxwell the video ref.

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