Monday 25 March 2019 13:44, UK
Wigan's return to winning ways, Fouad Yaha's quadruple and Daryl Powell's bizarre intervention feature in this week's talking points...
Having lost five games on the bounce - including home losses to Huddersfield and Hull, and a defeat at London - defending champions Wigan headed to high-flying Salford on Sunday in desperate need of some good news.
Added to their poor run of results, the Warriors have had to deal with a press circus over the last week since prospective and seemingly incoming head coach Shaun Edwards claimed he had signed no deal and was open to all offers after Wales' Six Nations Grand Slam success.
The players put all that to one side at the AJ Bell Stadium, as they went out and claimed a vital 30-22 away success, with the previously out-of-sorts George Williams back on it and scoring a hat-trick.
The Edwards/Wigan situation continues to linger on, with the club having released a statement on Friday saying the decision now rests with Edwards, and they will support it either way.
Over in the south of France, Fouad Yaha was the talk of Super League on Saturday as he notched four tries in a single fixture to beat Leeds 26-22 in Perpignan.
With the Dragons having fallen 12-0 behind, Yaha showed superb power to barrel over from close range for his first to get Catalans back into the contest - though they fell behind 16-6 and 20-16 in the clash too.
On three further occasions, Yaha then showed off his finishing prowess in the corner though - the third of which came inside the final 10 minutes to win the game.
On Friday, St Helens produced a real statement of intent when they travelled to Castleford and put 42 points on the Tigers.
In addition to the impressive performance of the Saints though, the game was also noteworthy for one of the strangest incidents ever seen in Super League.
With Cas head coach Daryl Powell clearly incensed by what he was witnessing, he came down from where he was sitting on 34 minutes with his side 18-0 down, and emerged onto the pitch mid-game - holding up the restart - to berate and stare down his players.
Greg Eden, who had endured a particularly poor half in terms of individual mistakes, and who would be hooked off in the second period, appeared to come in for particular treatment.
It almost has to be seen to be believed...
Elsewhere in the world of rugby league this week, reports have emerged that bids from New York and Ottawa - with Toronto Wolfpack founder Eric Perez involved - will be submitted in April to Championship and League 1 clubs to get into the RFL.
At Huddersfield on Friday, Hull KR may have been soundly defeated 42-8, but a note for Rovers' Shaun Lunt who made his comeback after a worrying bout of sepsis.
In the Championship, Widnes have now climbed back up to zero points having been docked 12 with their win at Rochdale on Sunday, while Toronto inflicted Halifax's first defeat at home in over a year - the Canadians were the last side to win there in February 2018.
And Down Under, the NRL is back and it's a Brit who continues to set the standards.
Sam Burgess was outstanding again for South Sydney on Thursday, as they dispatched of St George 34-18 in New South Wales to make it two wins from two so far this season.
Burgess was the catalyst as he scored two tries and set up another for the Rabbitohs in a comprehensive win at the Netstrata Jubilee Stadium. He also made 157 metres from 17 runs, 18 tackles, two line-breaks and a line-break assist.
"He's one of the best forwards in the game and one of the best forwards to ever play the game, so he just put his stamp on the game didn't he," head coach Wayne Bennett said afterwards.
"That's what they do, that's what the good ones do."
