Jon Wilkin accuses Super League star of diving after Wigan Warriors victory
Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin - Alamy
Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin has often been a critic of Huddersfield Giants star Jake Connor: and he was in Wilkin’s sights once again on Thursday night.
Connor was once again creating headlines and controversy on Thursday evening as the Giants fell to defeat at Wigan Warriors, after being centrally involved in one of the game’s defining moments.
With Huddersfield leading 8-0 and on the attack, Connor appeared to be nudged out of a challenge by Wigan half-back Harry Smith. That led to Jake Wardle breaking away and scoring a wonderful long-range try, with Connor in back-field protesting to the officials that he had been barged off the ball.
Wilkin was asked whether there was any element of foul play and was typically short and to the point in his response on Sky Sports.
He said: “I don’t think so, I think Jake Connor just takes a dive. It’s an unbelievable catch, I don’t want to talk about Jake Connor, his season is over.”
Wilkin has often criticised Connor in the past – the very recent past, in fact.
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Last month, he criticised the decision to bring Connor back to the club and suggested it attributed to Ian Watson’s demise at Huddersfield.
“Ian Watson is a talented coach and he couldn’t get it done at Huddersfield,” he said, before singling Connor out. “Recruitment was bad, Jake Connor was a bad recruit and with all the money he spent, there simply wasn’t the results.”
Wilkin was then pushed by Sky Sports host Brian Carney on Thursday evening about whether or not it was a foul, but instead reiterated that he wanted to focus on another Jake: Wigan Warriors star Wardle.
Wilkin said: “Maybe it was. Jake makes the most of it. This Jake (Wardle), wow. He’s fast, quick, athletic, he’s won the game for his team. Look, it could have been a penalty, but there are a few decisions that went against Wigan in the first half as well.”
