A high tackle ended a Test appearance within 90 seconds. The victim wanted a stronger punishment

11 hours ago 3

An angry Stefano Utoikamanu could not believe Francis Molo avoided scrutiny for a high shot that ended his Tongan debut in 90 seconds, saying: “I don’t know what more evidence you need to sin-bin someone.”

Utoikamanu had to fly back to Sydney with the Samoan players on Monday rather than join the Tongans in New Zealand, following Sunday’s 34-6 loss at a packed Suncorp Stadium.

The front-rower confirmed he would miss Sunday’s must-win clash against New Zealand as part of the sport’s concussion protocols. He’s also stunned Molo was only penalised, and not sent to the sin-bin, over the incident.

The match review committee charged Molo with a grade-two careless high tackle, but the sanction for that in an international match is 13 per cent of his $3000 match payment, or $390.

“It’s s--- I got ruled out so fast, and I also felt like he [Molo] should have been sin-binned for that – I’m done for the game, and he just gets put on report,” Utoikamanu told this masthead.

“His shoulder went straight to my face. I don’t know what more evidence you need to sin-bin someone.

The tackle that ended Stefano Utoikamanu’s Tongan debut.

“I get it we lost, but that [moment] affects our game. We weren’t even two minutes into the game.

“I knew as soon as he hit me and I went down, I wasn’t coming back.

“I’m all right now. But I’m out for 11 days. He came up to me afterwards, but I’m disappointed. It’s not the way I wanted to start my Tongan journey.”

Utoikamanu switched his allegiance from Samoa to Tonga this year to honour his father’s heritage.

He had been on a high just a few weeks ago after his powerhouse performance in Melbourne’s preliminary final win against Cronulla prompted Storm coach Craig Bellamy to label him the form prop in the game.

Junior Paulo leads the Samoan Siva Tau on Sunday.

The 25-year-old then caused a stir in grand final week when he admitted he did not like a few of the Broncos players, and thought they were “stuck up”. Utoikamanu was later ridiculed for those comments by some of Brisbane’s stars as they celebrated the win.

“As I said before the grand final, this time last year I was doing the total opposite to what I’m doing now. It’s been a massive year, I can’t wait for next year, and to see what next year holds for me,” Utoikamanu said.

“That whole thing during grand final week, it dragged on.

“I don’t really know most of those [Brisbane] boys. Like any footy player, you need motivation before you go on the field, and that was mine.

“I said I don’t like them, so I play better and do my job better. It’s s--- we lost, but I can’t do anything about it. I got to play in a grand final. And I’m stoked for those boys, they got the win.”

Tongan coach Kristian Woolf said Utoikamanu’s concussion did not cost Tonga the game, but the rules needed to be looked at. The bunker still had an opportunity to intervene if they felt the incident was a reportable offence.

“You don’t just lose a player, you lose an interchange, you potentially lose a player for two weeks, and there’s not much repercussion the other way; it needs to be looked at,” said Woolf, who is hoping Jason Taumalolo (knee) can come straight into the side to replace Utoikamanu.

Earlier this year, Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett said he was a fan of binning players once a rival had failed a HIA, and the NRL trialled the concept during the trials.

“I don’t think they should bring this proposal in next season – they should bring it in now,” Bennett said midway through the year.

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