Grand Final: St Helens chief executive Mike Rush condemns Ben Flower's punch on Lance Hohaia
Sunday 12 October 2014 15:55, UK
St Helens chief executive Mike Rush says there is no place in rugby league for what Ben Flower did to Lance Hohaia in the Super League Grand Final.
Wigan prop Flower was shown a straight red card just two minutes into the 14-6 defeat for two brutal punches to Hohaia's face - the first knocking him unconcious to the floor before a second blow was made while stricken on his back on the grass.
It left the Warriors with what proved to be an unsurmountable task to win, and second-half tries from Sia Soliola and Tommy Makinson sealed a memorable victory for Saints at Old Trafford.
When Lance was knocked out on the floor, to get another punch to the head was probably what the fans and the public didn’t like seeing.
St Helens chief Rush admitted the ugly incident slightly overshadowed his side's triumph and he will keep a keen eye on the punishment handed out to Flower before deciding on possible further action.
“It did look bad and there is no real place for that. We’ll let the Super League go through its due process,” Rush told Sky Sports.
“When Lance was knocked out on the floor, to get another punch to the head was probably what the fans and the public didn’t like seeing.
“Leading up to that, you know rugby is a combative sport and ferocious, but obviously once Lance has hit the deck, what went on afterwards was sad to see.”
Possible action
A Rugby Football League spokesman said it would be up to Hohaia and St Helens to decide whether to pursue legal action, but the case would go as normal before the match review panel on Monday.
Hohaia was unfit to return to the field following the clash with Flower and Rush admitted the 31-year-old was hugely disappointed with the events that ended his Grand Final so prematurely.
“He was obviously most upset,” Rush admitted. “It is not the way you want your Grand Final to go. 180 seconds or whatever it was – it is not how long you envisage playing.
“Unfortunately we have had others that it has happened to in the past. Paul Wellens had to leave the field a number of years ago with an eye injury.
“So there are plenty of senior players that can tell Lance that they have been there and they know what it feels like.
“I sat with him on the bus on the home for a bit and he is the ultimate professional. He was just grateful that the team got the result.“
