Rhinos’ Hardaker handed five-match ban but Peacock escapes punishment

The 22-year-old England 
international was also fined £300 by a Rugby Football League 
independent disciplinary tribunal which sat for almost four hours in Leeds.

Hardaker, who was represented by his club’s legal team, was charged with a grade E offence, which carries a suspension of between four- and eight matches, after his offensive comments were spotted on television during Leeds’s 24-6 loss to Warrington.

His Rhinos team-mate Jamie Peacock avoided a ban after being found guilty of punching.

Peacock admitted the offence against Leigh in the Challenge Cup, but the disciplinary panel took into consideration “significant provocation” as well as his previous exemplary record.

Hull KR’s Michael Weyman won his appeal against a two-match ban imposed after he was found guilty of using foul or abusive language to a referee.

Bradford forward Jay Pitts will miss his first game for the Bulls – Sunday’s trip to Salford – after accepting a one-match ban for a dangerous throw on Warrington’s Anthony England during his side’s 46-10 Challenge Cup quarter-final defeat.

Warrington have appointed former Wakefield boss Richard Agar as first-team coach, working under Tony Smith on a two-year contract.