Sky Sports pundit goes in on Leigh Leopards star John Asiata

Leigh Leopards star John Asiata was controversially sin binned against St Helens after just 41 second.

Asiata was at the heart of controversy when he last played against St Helens for his tackle technique which led to two major injuries and rule changes to outlaw them.

Despite this, Asiata produced a similar tackle against St Helens this week and was sin binned.

On Sky Sports, Jon Wilkin slammed him for this: “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.”

Jon Wilkin slams Leigh Leopards star John Asiata

Wilkin would go on to suggest that Asiata was endangering players with his technique. He also described him as foolish to use such a tackle technique after the recent controversy.

“This is a man who’s done this in a semi-final and he’s turned up to the ground against the team that he’s done it against and has been big up for, they’ve changed the rules and he’s attempted something optically that is almost identical.

“Now I think that’s foolish from him. I don’t think he’ll get any further ban. I don’t really want to see tackles that endanger people’s heads or legs. I just think let’s move on with it. It’s a yellow card, nothing more.”

It will be interesting to see if the loose forward is suspended not that it will matter with the star man suffering a torn calf which will see him miss the game against Leeds Rhinos and likely a flurry of other fixtures.