AFTER watching his side push Wigan Warriors all the way, Adrian Lam had a message to any opposing player coming up against Edwin Ipape – “Do not run at him.”
Papua New Guinea hooker Ipape led from the front and put in a couple of big hits that hurt the Wigan forwards in a high-scoring derby defeat.
“Edwin played 80 minutes for the first time this season and his defence is just brilliant,” said coach Lam.
“There is no better defender in the UK, maybe the world, one-on-one at the moment.
“We sit there, and we laugh. Staff see it and laugh because we show clips during the week of highlights and he’s on every one of them. Every time he hits someone, the whole squad of 32 go ‘oohh’. It’s hilarious to watch.
“I think a few of the opposition players are spotting where he is and decide to go the other side. If I was tipping any other player in the opposition team, I would say do not run at Edwin.”
Lam revealed that Gareth O’Brien could be sat down for at least three weeks after picking up another head knock.
He failed his HIA so misses the game against Hull FC on Thursday, but Lam says the club will look after him even if that means him missing more action.
