Jon Wilkin slams ’embarrassing’ Leigh Leopards owner after Catalans Dragons controversy

Sky Sports pundit Jon Wilkin has laid into Leigh owner Derek Beaumont after the controversy which has followed the Leopards’ win at Catalans Dragons, labelling him ’embarrassing’.

Last weekend, Leigh picked up a 26-12 victory at the Stade Gilbert Brutus which sees them sat 3rd on the Super League ladder ahead of Round 16.

Thousands of supporters cladded in Leopard-print made the journey over to Perpignan to witness that win, and as the squad celebrated with them post-match, they were joined on the field by owner Beaumont.

Once the celebrations had come to an end, Beaumont caught the eye on Sky Sports, deliberately appearing in the back of Adrian Lam’s interview alongside a Leopards supporter with a drum who he had invited to join him on the pitch.

That moment has caused plenty of uproar, drawing criticism from supporters and directors at Catalans alike, who Beaumont is believed to have irked even further by ignoring their invite for a post-match dinner.

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‘I thought it was embarrassing and I was embarrassed for Adrian Lam who was visibly rattled by having his owner in such a state behind him’

Now, pundit Wilkin has taken his opportunity to voice his opinion on the incident, and didn’t hold back.

During this week’s episode of ‘The Verdict’ on Sky Sports, he said: “I saw a very credible man (Adrian Lam) and very credible team produce a very credible performance which was immediately made less credible by what was going on behind him.

“Derek Beaumont had celebrated hard throughout the day and looked like he’d had a long day. He got onto the pitch, and do you know what?

“It was like he was auditioning for a really bad version of Love Island: South of France edition, where rugby league club owners all get around a fire-pit and talk about cracking on, rather than cracking on with the league.

“He was one Boohoo tracksuit and a set of teeth from Turkey away from getting on the show I’ve just described, which nobody is ever going to make by the way because nobody wants to watch it.”

“I thought it was embarrassing and I was embarrassed for Adrian Lam who was visibly rattled by having his owner in such a state behind him.”

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‘I didn’t think it was fun in any way, shape or form and I don’t think Adrian Lam thought it was fun’

The RFL have already launched an investigation into the events that surrounded Beaumont post-match at the Brutus given the rules that were broken, namely inviting the fan with the drum out of the crowd and onto the field.

Wilkin continued: “Look Derek, go and celebrate. You’ve put your money in.

“But when you’ve become the unelected spokesperson for a review that’s going on in our game, have some dignity and have some class about how you celebrate. He showed none of that.

“The opposite view is that he’s celebrating and having a laugh and having fun. I didn’t think it was fun in any way, shape or form and I don’t think Adrian Lam thought it was fun.

“I think he thought, what’s this idiotic behaviour behind me? Bringing a guy with a drum from the crowd and banging it on live shots of the camera. It’s… bleurgh. Horrible.”

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