Dai Young slams referee decision to punish James Haskell

Wasps rugby director Dai Young expressed his displeasure over referee's decision to sin-bin Joe Marler during the Aviva Premiership encounter against Harlequins at Ricoh Arena on Sunday.

Wasps flanker Haskell was left incensed at his yellow card for throttling England team-mate Joe Marler off the ball, after tussling with the Quins prop on the ground. Haskell insisted Marler had choked him with the strap of his scrum cap, before squirting him in the face with water.

The decision proved costly as three minutes later after Haskell's sin-bin, Marland Yarde crossed over while Marcus Smith slotted a penalty as the Quins bounced back from being seven points down.

Though Haskell was yellow-carded, Marler went unpunished which didn't go well with Young, who saw his side lose for the first time at home in 21 games.

"What you want from referees is consistency and I've got to be honest I thought he was consistent - he gave us nothing all game and that's all you can ask for really.

"I think if someone rips your hat off then squirts water in your face, what do you expect? I just thought it was very harsh on James Haskell.

"There comes a time when you've got to look at the guys that spark these things up, not somebody that's going to take exception to someone ripping their hat off and squirting water in their face."

Meanwhile, Harlequins rugby director John Kingston expressed concern over the state of Marler, who left the field in the start of the second half.

"It was very important for us to be very physical, very confrontational, but also to make sure we were on the right side of the line. By the end, that just about happened.

"Rugby's a physical sport, that's why we love it and that's why they're such wonderful players.

"I was more disappointed that Joe (Marler) went off with a rib injury. We don't know the extent of it yet, but he's a brave lad and for him to leave the field it must have been hurting him."