Samoa have paid the price for their over-physical approach with two of their players given suspensions ruling them out of the Rugby League World Cup quarter-final against Fiji.
The Pacific Islanders had new St Helens signing Mose Masoe sin-binned and three other players put on report, one of them twice, for foul play during the early stages of their 22-6 win over the French in Perpignan.
An international match review panel on Tuesday handed out one-match bans to second rower Leeson Ah Mau and loose forward Sauaso Sue which will sideline them for the last-eight clash with Fiji in Warrington on Sunday.
Ah Mau was punished for a grade A offence of striking with his shoulder on France scrum-half William Barthau, while Sue was found guilty of a trip on the same player in the second half.
Scrum-half Ben Roberts, the other player to be placed on report by referee Henry Perenara for an alleged ‘spear’ tackle, was told he has no case to answer, but Sue was also issued with a formal caution for striking the unfortunate Barthau with his shoulder.
The suspensions will be keenly felt by the Samoans, who have lost three players – Reni Maitua, Harrison Hansen and Frank Winterstein – for the rest of the tournament through injury.
They were give permission to call up former St Helens forward Tony Puletua, which took their squad strength back up to 22.
Both Ah Mau and Sue have until 11am on Wednesday to accept the sanction or lodge an appeal, which would be heard at an international disciplinary tribunal in Leeds later that day.
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