I remember the days when both clubs used to keenly keep count of the number of Locker cup wins...a pre season Friendly like no other that one.

Was it John monie that ruined it by stating it was too tough and too many players were getting "injured" in it so he started playing A' teamers in it?

Total opposite to Madge then. We have more injuries in training than on the field these days. Aparrently the squad go full pelt on each other in training I believe.......


.......maybe that's why we're knackered on match day?

Don't think tonight was patronising at all. I think if anything because it wasn't Saints or Wire heads are clearer and so can actually recognise good play easier. That is not patronising.



As I said before people round me did clap Wire good play if rather less enthusiastically. You can't just remove the rivalry but I really do not think it was patronising to Les Cats tonight. I am sure we have lost at home to them before and I was livid because it was close and felt hard done by for some reason but tonight they looked a very good side. Or was that Quinns....he said going senile/

I applauded, and it didn't make me cringe, or feel embarrassed. Why would it?

Catalans turned up, ripped us a new one, and deserved their round of applause.

Anyone who is uncomfortable with that needs to find a little self esteem.

Agreed!well said that man! a pie who isn't an ignorant sod. Good on ya. Sounds like there is a few more of ya! I really remember that reverse pass by barrett to Flanders Who went 30 to score at HQ a few years back! Was worth the entrance fee alone. that tomkin try last week! Genius.

A bit Hypocritical mate as you bash others like Leeds and saints now you are champs. remember that the next time you are baggin Leeds and saints for making finals and semis. Let's see you be a bit more accountable in your posting

I found it cringeworthy.

I'll never ever clap the opposition onto the pitch, and will never clap when they score or at any other time during the game, WHY WOULD I?? I'm a Wigan supporter, why the hell would I want to give the opposition the drive and determination they get from hearing applause for them from the opposition fans, why the feck would I do that????

Couldn't believe that that happened last night, embarassing to me, and yes I am a bad loser, I hate losing at anything, I hate my team losing, the wife hates my side losing, because she knows how I'm going to be when I get home!

Clapping the opposition doesn't IMHO make our players play better, and that's what we should want, not helping give the opposition the impitus to score more against us!!!

Not happy!

I get that. I would always cheer for them (when they don't play us of course)

It's nothing about making our player play better though. It's about showing appreciation of the good rugby played by the Catalan side. They were superb last night, yes we were off our game, but the score flattered us rather than them.

IL said in the SS bar after the game that it was good that Wigan fans applauded Catalan and showed their appreciation for Catalans excellent display.

Their scrum half gave the best display I have seen from an opposing player in all the the years since we moved to the new stadium. When he was substituted in the final minutes he was thoroughly deserving of the applause he got.

I'm afraid our game is heading down the way of football, segregated supporters and no appreciation of the opposition.

Obviously not being a wigan fan i can't comment specifically about the wigan fans appluading the Dragons tries, however i know that in previous seasons if watching a game and it seemed as though the opposition were putting more effort than my team - and infact my team looked like putting in a bit more effort would kill them then yes i have applauded the opposition and i have done this more in irony showing my team that i applaud a team putting in the effort. If they can't be bothered turning up I can't be bothered applauding them. So maybe the applause was more of a "if you could be bothered this applause would be for you but you don't deserve it on tonights display"

Clapping a decent try is fair enough, most knowledgeable RL fans will have done this many times. Mass applause and even chanting for catalans as they got into their positions for the re-start was an absolute disgrace. Think how the players were feeling at this point, you could see how gutted Sam looked and there were others who put 100% into that game as well who didn't deserve that.

If you feel the need to boo, leave it until the end of the game. There were people booing when we still had a chance of coming back, maybe if the fans got behind the team at tough points in games then we would see a response. Our home support is dire and very fickle and thats probably why our home form is so poor, you can sense that the crowd are waiting for someone to make a mistake so they can have a good whinge.

Worst home support in the league!!

That'll be when we were down 4-12?

Bollards.

Get a grip.

Good to acknowledge a good performance no harm whatsoever in doing so either

I shook John Kears hand when Sheffield beat us at wembly, his response was a big thanks that means a lot !

No, at half time.

So many people hate this, the same complaint was on the Wire board last week but i actually love it, it shows what sport should be about.
Yes we all love our clubs and we always want them to win but ateofd in the grand scheme of things it is only a game.

It shows that we do have a bit of class and puts us head and shoulders above other sports with the exception of Union who do the same.

Just bobbed on your forum to see what you lot were saying about the game. Chuft to read some Wiggin fans were clapping the Catalans players, they're not 'the enemy'. If the opposition play well or score a good try I think clapping them shows that you are not blind to only your team and shows class and sportsmanship.

Try being a Leigh fan, we're used to having to clap the oppo's.

I have clapped good play many a time, sometimes (rarely) i have been give the daggers, love off i don't care, i love this game and I'll clap great play no matter what. Sat at home yesterday and i applauded Hudds 1st try because it warranted it

Agreed Yed. Sometimes I think Catalans are the best team to watch with their handling. If they fancy it that is!

We were completly outplayed last night and any team that turns up with fight and determination gets applause from me, whether it be Wigan or anyone else. As others have said it's what sets us apart from other sports that we can have the humility to know when we've been beaten.

On a slightly different note, I think there were points last night where I think we were outsung by the Catalan fan last night. We need to get the atmosphere sorted out at home sharpish. It's like being at a funeral at the DW sometimes, but that discussion is perhaps for another thread.

I think sometimes the DW loses it's atmosphere because of the wide open corners, even if it wasn't seating, just to have the filled in would improve it in my opinion.

Fair play to a lot of Wigginers clapping Cats last night though.

It's called being a sporting supporter and a fan of the game.

Clapping is done to show your appreciation of an act.


Speaks more about certainly Wigan fans that people like you and a few others are too bitter to appreciate that Catalans totally outplayed you and got the 2 points despite virtually everyone thinking Wigan would cruise it.

Agree entirely - good rugby is good rugby regardless of which team plays it.

I was applaud excellent rugby, like a really, good skillful piece of play leading to a try or a toughline conversion, at the time that it happens. That's how I was brought up at games as a kid by my dad and grandfather, taking pride in being a sporting rugby league fan. What I don't do until the end of the match is applaud the other team generally, e.g. as they are setting up for the kick-off after a score, as some people did last night. To me, that's crossing the border between being sporting and actually supporting the opposition. Others think differently, and that's OK too.