League: Solomona awaits fate over tackle

LONDON - Second rower David Solomona will today learn whether he will play any further part in the Kiwis' Tri-Nations campaign when he faces a disciplinary panel charged with committing a spear tackle in the 42-26 win over Great Britain on Sunday.

Solomona was placed on report by New Zealand referee Glen Black for upending British prop Stuart Fielden in the second minute of the match.

A video review panel deemed the incident serious enough to refer Solomona to a three-man panel comprised of retired judge Peter Charlesworth, Super League video referee Dave Campbell and Kiwis tour director Selwyn Bennett.

With standoff Nigel Vagana escaping punishment for a more dangerous-looking infringement in the first test victory over Australia last month, Solomona would be unlucky to receive a lengthy ban.

"He certainly did a 360 but I don't think he drove him into the ground, which is a get-out clause," Great Britain coach Brian Noble said.

Noble was less charitable of the Rugby Football League (RFL), saying Great Britain had been set up by their own administrators to fail in their opening match of this year's series.

Noble was furious the game took place in the New Zealand expatriates' stronghold of Shepherd's Bush, where the Kiwis had played on the under-sized Loftus Road pitch against Australia last year.

Noble also criticised the appointment of New Zealand referee Black, whose experience of the professional game is limited to guest stints in Australia and Britain.

Another referee could have awarded Great Britain over 30 penalties as the Kiwis indulged in slowing down tactics at the play-the-ball, he said.

"We certainly practised to play a whole lot quicker than that. If you look at every Super League game this year they have been a whole quicker.

"Every time we did get our ruck speed up and get on the front foot we looked very dangerous."

Noble, however, was hardly enthused by the appointment of Australian Tim Mander to control his side's next test against the Kangaroos in Wigan on Sunday morning (NZ time).

"We have to take the referee out of the equation. Last week is gone. All I need is some clarification from the RFL as to how Mr Mander is going to referee the ruck.

"We were slightly disadvantaged (against New Zealand) because we were playing to different rules than the opposition. We just need to know what rules we are playing to. That will help us immensely."

- NZPA