WIGAN coach Stuart Raper today hailed rugby league's "Superman" after the Warriors completed a glorious eight-day spell that has put them on course for the League and Cup double.

Raper singled out veteran Gary Connolly for special praise after Wigan's 34-22 victory over Widnes Vikings capped a "phenomenal" week for the newly-crowned Cup kings.

Connolly scored the match-winning try in the Warriors' 21-12 Murrayfield triumph over St Helens eight days ago and filled in superbly for injured full-back Kris Radlinski in the midweek win at Wakefield.

And the tough-as-teak centre, who turns 31 next month, defied a painful knee injury to play a key role in Saturday's impressive victory over the dangerous Vikings which lifted Wigan, at least for 24 hours, into second place in the table.

Connolly, one of only four men to play all 80 minutes in each of the three games, collapsed in a heap at one stage after diving on a loose ball over his own tryline but refused to leave the field with his side still by no means certain of victory.

"He's just an ignorant centre, the bloke won't come off," said Raper.

"I thought he was gone. I once called him a freak and he's gone and done it again.

"He's got no cruciate ligament in that knee and he baffles doctors to be honest."

Connolly, who is considering switching to rugby union full-time with Orrell next season, had earlier scored the all-important try in a purple patch just before half-time that saw Wigan open up a 12-point lead.

He kicked ahead to the Widnes line and, after appearing to over-run the ball, just managed to get a hand to it ahead of defender Troy Stone.

Raper added: "He's got a knack of scoring those tries.

"He has the knack of being in the right place at the right time and it's no fluke."

It was only in the final quarter that the Warriors were able to pull away, with skipper Andy Farrell coming up with the crucial score and Australian stand-off Julian O'Neill, who is growing in stature with each game, grabbing two tries for the second successive match.

Raper, who has told his players not to report back to the club until Tuesday as they prepare for their next game against Salford on Friday.