Jon Wilkin brutally brands John Asiata as a “circus clown”

After Leigh Leopards star John Asiata was sin binned for what was deemed a “dangerous” tackle against St Helens, Sky Sports pundit and former St Helens star Jon Wilkin has slammed him as a “circus clown.”

Wilkin slammed Asiata for using a similar tackle that injured three St Helens players last season and led to the tackle technique being outlawed by the RFL.

Speaking on Sky Sports, Wilkin said of the Leigh Leopards star: “I can’t believe he’s come into this game and done that. After what happened I can’t believe he’s come into the game and even that’s come to his mind to attempt to do a tackle like that, whether he believes that’s legal or not the rules have changed.

“It’s almost identical to the tackles that ended two players’ seasons last year. My question is if you’re coming to this ground today against the team you’ve done that to to do that you’re trying to incite a reaction an aggressive reaction and he’s trying to wind people up he’s walking off the field waving to the fans he’s like a circus clown that’s what he was like a pantomime villain.”

Sam Tomkins has his say on Leigh Leopards star John Asiata

He said: “We spoke about how they’re going to have a target on this man he obviously knew that and he thought you know what I’m going to get the first punch in and you know, return serve not long after that though he does limp off the field into the group of fans that he was he was guarding just just ten minutes before he is a huge loss look he started the game with fireworks and that just it really knocked St. Helens off the stride but he being missing fully is massive.

“The fact they’re missing him now that’s the hour of the field, that’s a blow.”

The Leopards have already lost Edwin Ipape to an MCL injury which saw Brad Dwyer brought in on loan.