St Helens head coach Paul Rowley bemused by decisions 16-14 loss to Wigan Warriors at Super League's Magic Weekend
St Helens head coach Paul Rowley has questioned the refereeing after his side's 16-14 Super League loss to Wigan Warriors; Saints had four successful captain's challenges and Jack Welsby was sent to the sin-bin twice in the Magic Weekend encounter
Sunday 5 July 2026 21:19, UK
St Helens head coach Paul Rowley questioned referee Chris Kendall after his side's agonising 16-14 Super League defeat to derby foes Wigan Warriors at Magic Weekend.
Saints were awarded a penalty following a captain's challenge with no time remaining when it was adjudged that Harry Robertson had been pulled back chasing his kick.
However, Jackson Hastings missed the conversion attempt that would have levelled the game at 16-16 and taken what was an already nail-biting contest into golden point.
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The game also saw a multitude of scuffles and subsequently players sent to the sin-bin. Indeed, there was a coming together from the opening play of the game when David Klemmer ran into Brad O'Neill.
St Helens full-back Jack Welsby was sent to the sin-bin twice, once for a professional foul and once for a coming together with O'Neill. The Wigan hooker also saw yellow for the same incident.
Discussing the refereeing throughout the encounter, Rowley called out the fact that his side had four successful captain's challenges.
"We won four captain's challenges, which is quite unique, I would suspect," Rowley said.
"That means four things got missed in that respect, but we challenged and got them, so that's great. That's what captain's challenge is for.
"The 'on report' [call] troubled me a bit more because there's a review, there's two jumbo screens at this ground... and there's contact with the head.
"It's two points [from a penalty] all day long. As a result, Wigan go up the other end and score six points.
"We should be good enough to defend it, but I think the 'on report' [call] is not the right way of going.
"It prevents the use of a green card, if a green card is valid then one should be shown.
"And it prevents the penalty."
Rowley was also bemused by the second yellow card Welsby received for his scuffle with O'Neill.
"I thought the second sin-bin was ridiculous for Jack, I'm not sure what he's done there," he added.
"We are disappointed with the first one and Jack will be disappointed with it, too, but [not] the second one."
Super League 2026 - upcoming key dates
- Rivals Round reversed: July 23-July 26
- Elimination Play-offs: September 19-September 20
- Play-off semi-finals: September 26-September 27
- Grand Final: October 3
Sky Sports will show every game of the Super League live this season, including two matches each round exclusively live. The remaining five matches will be broadcast on Sky Sports+.
