CATALANS DRAGONS head coach Steve McNamara has addressed comments he made about match officials and penalties following the club’s 36-12 loss to Hull KR in last weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-final.
In the aftermath of that defeat, McNamara said: “Have you ever seen a semi-final where a team doesn’t get a penalty? Have you ever seen that anywhere?
“I’m really annoyed with that side of it, and I’m annoyed with our performance.
“We got it back to 12-10 but we spent too much energy. We didn’t work hard enough at certain times ourselves, but as you can tell I’m pissed off not to receive a penalty at all apart from them kicking out on the full.
“I was concerned (about it pre-match) because in Hull KR’s home games this year (they have had) 42 penalties given and 16 conceded, and only three six agains all year.”
Now, having been asked about those comments ahead of Catalans’ fixture against St Helens tonight at the Totally Wicked Stadium, McNamara cleared up what he had said.
“It’s difficult because there’s an investigation in terms of my comments made,” McNamara said on Sky Sports.
“Before the game, us as coaches get asked for observations and our opinions and you have to do that respectfully of the opposition and the match officials and I think that I did that.
“I just felt that I asked a question after the game with a bizarre scenario where a team doesn’t receive a penalty during the game but let’s leave it at that.”
