Jon Wilkin column

I would like to start this week's column by thanking everyone for getting in touch following last week's appeal for lookalikes for the current St Helens squad.

They really made me have a chuckle.

Ade Gardner - aka Borat - was a particular favourite but the similarity between James Roby and John Terry is something I had overlooked.

All the suggestions will make the wall of fame at the St Helens training facility!

One constant source of amusement in my life is a BBC video called '101 Greatest Rugby League Tries'.

I received this video as a young child and watched it so many times I have developed the skill of being able to quote the commentaries of Eddie Waring and Ray French.

This video had a lot to do with motivating me to become a rugby player as I always wanted to be one of those scoring.

Whether it was Ellery Hanley "ebbing away" in the Challenge Cup final against Halifax or Mal Meninga "bursting down the left hand flank" against Hull KR in the Premiership final, I just wanted to be the subject of Ray French's commentary genius.

Some examples of classic Ray lines that always get a laugh out of me are "Oh Ellery Hanley... if he's got a bad hamstring, I want two!" and "Why, oh why, every time we come to Headingley, there's a dog on the pitch!"

I have got to know Ray but it was very strange talking to him at first.

I think I expected him to have a different voice to the one he uses for TV but he talks in a similar style to the way he commentates!

Apparently, a Saints player was once in a car with Ray - and I am sure this has been exaggerated over the years - when the latter proclaimed: "Why, oh why every time we are on the East Lancashire Road, the lights change to red!"

I hope it's a true story, though.

Ray was a great player and is a great BBC commentator and I would like to thank him for amusing me over the years.

It also got me thinking. If you can think of some of the funniest commentary moments in sport, please send them in as I would love to compile my top 10 list!

We are so proud as a team to win the League Leader's Shield (which has an uncanny resemblance to a hub cap or a sandwich platter).

In some ways, winning it should be the biggest achievement because it shows we have been the best-performing team over a whole year whereas the cup and play-offs are very much one-off games.

It doesn't really get the recognition it deserves but I can assure you it will be kept in the trophy cabinet and not used as a fancy wheel trim on Mike Bennett's car. Ham salad sandwiches will never touch it either!

It is a shame we cannot be presented with it this week. We play Wigan at the JJB Stadium and officials have suggested presenting the trophy on the ground of our old enemies may incite trouble.

From my experience, rugby league fans are competitive in a playful way and very rarely violent, so it's disappointing they cannot be trusted on this occasion.

Apparently, we have to create a mocked-up shot of us being presented with the plate at training, complete with surprised expressions and jubilant faces.

Look out for some very amusing fake ones - Ade Gardner has perfected the camp celebration.

I really hope we can finish the league off well with a solid performance against our closest rivals.

It should be an intense game as they have so much to lose. But so do we - local bragging rights!

Source: BBC Sport