Westwood gets one-game ban for punch

Warrington’s Ben Westwood has been given a one-game ban for punching Wigan’s Blake Green during his side’s Grand Final defeat at Old Trafford.

The 32-year-old forward punched Green during the early stages of Saturday’s game, leaving the Wigan stand-off with a badly bruised face, but the offence was not spotted by match referee Richard Silverwood.

The one-game suspension means Westwood will miss England’s World Cup warm-up game against Italy in Salford on October 19, but will be available to play in their opening game against Australia in Cardiff a week later.

Westwood is currently with the England squad at a high-altitude training camp in South Africa.

He pleaded guilty to the grade B offence when he appeared in front of a Rugby Football League disciplinary panel via video-messaging service Skype from the team hotel in Potchefstroom earlier on Tuesday.

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