PATRICK Ah Van has received backing from a rival Super League coach after his red card during Widnes Vikings’ draw with Wigan Warriors on Thursday night.

Warrington Wolves’ head of coaching and rugby Tony Smith said in the press conference that followed his side’s win against Salford that it was a ‘severe call’ on Ah Van.

Smith was responding to being asked if he had feared his own player, Ben Westwood, would be sent off by referee Richard Silverwood rather than sin-binned for a high tackle considering the actions taken by fellow official James Child on opening night to Super League XX at the Select Security Stadium.

“Who knows? Who knows what the reactions were going to be? It’s a lottery,” said Smith.

“I thought that was a severe call (on Ah Van). I thought that was a classic example of where they could have used the 10 minutes in the sin bin because I don’t think there was anything really malicious about it.

“Did he catch him? Absolutely, but I don’t think he was meaning to. If anything, I thought he was coming in to try and get the ball out and save a try, and it all went wrong. I’ve got some understanding of how that can happen.”