Huddersfield Giants have stood down head coach Ian Watson with immediate effect ahead of their match against Leigh Leopards on Saturday.
Watson joined Huddersfield ahead of the 2021 season and had signed a new four-year deal in 2022 but will not manage the club when they take on Leigh – live on Sky Sports Mix at 3pm on Saturday.
Huddersfield were thrashed 48-0 last Friday by Warrington Wolves with a performance that Watson labelled as “embarrassing.”
“Following today’s scheduled monthly board meeting the club has stood down Head Coach Ian Watson with immediate effect,” read a Huddersfield Giants statement.
“Luke Robinson will take charge of the team ahead of the upcoming Bet Fred Super League game at Leigh at the weekend. Neither the club nor Ian will make any further comments.”
Huddersfield made the Challenge Cup final in 2022 and finished third but have largely struggled since then.
Their defeat to Warrington last Friday was their seventh in eight games, in a season that is unravelling.
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Highlights of the Super League match between Warrington Wolves and Huddersfield Giants.
“I don’t think there is anything that can express (the disappointment),” said Watson post-match.
“It is embarrassing for what we are as a professional rugby league club. It is not good enough.
“The one thing I will say, there has been a lot of people who have been real ill this week. It is not good enough for the organisation that we want to be.
“We talk about being a good club but we are not willing to put the work in to be it. There are guys who have been really ill. They have been in A&E being checked out.”
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