Catalans Dragons vs Wakefield Trinity: Chris Chester hopes crowd can boost visitors
Last Updated: 04/10/20 4:00pm
Chris Chester is hoping the presence of a crowd can help spur Wakefield Trinity to their first win since Super League's restart when they face Catalans Dragons in Perpignan on Sunday.
The French club have been forced to fly to England to play seven of their eight league and Challenge Cup fixtures since the end of lockdown but the visit of Trinity for one of their re-arranged matches will mark the first of five successive home games.
For the second time in a month the Dragons will be allowed to let 5,000 fans into Stade Gilbert Brutus, which is something Chester is looking forward to.
It's always hostile, the crowd are in your face and on your back and on the referee's back but it will be nice to play in front of some fans.
Chris Chester
"It's something we've not been used to over the last few months," Wakefield head coach Chester said. "It will be nice to have some kind of atmosphere.
"It's always hostile, the crowd are in your face and on your back and on the referee's back but it will be nice to play in front of some fans."
Catalans have beaten Wakefield twice since the restart, including an embarrassing 58-0 thrashing in August.
However, Chester is confident his side can avoid a repeat, pointing to their impressive performance in defeat by Wigan Warriors in their last match.
"That was a big eye opener, a result that put us firmly in our place, but it's not about revenge," Chester said, reflecting on the heavy defeat to the Dragons.
"I think we're a different team, we've different personnel and a different structure as well.
"There were lots of positive signs last week. We can take a lot from that performance and from what [Wigan head coach] Adrian Lam said about it being the hardest game they've had since the restart.
"That's the benchmark we need to be at and we've pretty much the same 17, which is probably the first time since lockdown that we've been able to do that."
Two of Wakefield's squad will be returning to their old stomping ground in French pair Romain Navarrete and Tony Gigot. Chester has also included hooker Brad Walker and recalled Innes Senior, who extended his loan from Huddersfield Giants, to his 21-man squad for the match.
Catalans have three-quarters Samisoni Langi and David Mead available again after recovering from injury, with Arthur Romano set to make way from the team which won 34-6 away to Leeds Rhinos midweek.
Head coach Steve McNamara was pleased just to come away with a favourable result against a youthful and much-changed Rhinos side, and is looking forward to being back on home soil for an extended period.
"We found just enough points to get the win despite it not being a great performance," McNamara said.
"We came off an horrendous trip last week onto another trip this week, so we've got some pretty tired players out there.
"We need to get back to France for a couple of home games and find some of the rhythm that we had before the lockdown."