Smith's move protected Westwood (From Warrington Guardian)

Tony Smith's move protected Warrington Wolves back rower Ben Westwood

2:28pm Saturday 16th February 2013 in Wolves news By Mike Parsons

BENNIE Westwood knew he had gone too far in the heated moments leading up to his sin-binning on Friday, said Wolves chief Tony Smith.

The daggers between Westwood and Catalan Dragons’ former Leeds Rhinos full back Brent Webb first came out in the second minute and only concluded when the pair instigated a fight late in the second half, with both finishing the game in the sin bin.

A lot had gone on in between, not just with those two, although Webb did not seem to want to let it lie and spoke to Westwood again as he was ordered off the field first by referee Richard Silverwood.

The Kiwi international then seemed to wait by the tunnel as Silverwood brandished yellow to Westwood.

Smith left his spot in the North Stand to meet his man as he followed Webb to the touchline with eight minutes remaining.

Smith said: “Bennie needed to let his bit go but I can also understand.

“It was a bit like a dripping tap and sometimes you’ve got to turn it off.

“I’m good mates with Webby. I coached him and I’ve got a lot of time for him as a player.

“He lost his rag and was standing on the touchline. I just didn’t want Bennie to get dragged back into it.

“Bennie was ok by then and he knew that he didn’t need to pursue it as far as he had done before.”