Derek Beaumont: Leigh Centurions owner criticises Super League refereeing standard

Chris Kendall (left) was criticised by Leigh owner Derek Beaumont

Super League refereeing decisions are making rugby league a "joke shop", said Leigh Centurions owner Derek Beaumont after Monday's defeat by Castleford.

Beaumont attended the press conference to raise his concerns with match official Chris Kendall after the loss, rather than send coach Neil Jukes.

Leigh had tries ruled out by the video referee in the 38-0 loss.

"We need to stand up as a sport and talk about it because it's making our game look a laughing stock," he said.

"It's a joke shop. It's incompetent and it's not good enough.

"You talk to every owner and coach and they can't say anything because they're scared of getting fined. I don't care about getting fined, I really genuinely don't."

The Centurions chairman, who is also head of rugby at the Leigh Sports Village club, revealed he has previously complained to Super League chief executive Ralph Rimmer regarding refereeing standards.

Monday's loss left Leigh a point above bottom side Widnes in the Super League table.

"I'm accountable to my fans," added Beaumont. "I'm accountable to the finance paying the wages when the fans don't turn up on the back of us getting beaten. The coach is accountable to me and I'm protecting him.

"And the players are accountable to him. Now I'm sat here because I don't expect him to answer questions today. He can't control what's gone on in the middle.

"It's game-wide. Where's the referee's accountability? I want to see the referees do better. The game is too complicated when it can be so much simpler.

"I can control the controllables but I'm getting sick of things that I can't control affecting me. Who deals with the referees when they don't perform? They haven't got enough of them and they aren't good enough."