Saturday 7 March 2020 18:19, UK
We take a look at the final two matches of Round 6, which see Catalans Dragons host Salford Red Devils on Saturday and Wigan Warriors welcome Hull Kingston Rovers on Sunday...
When they step out onto the field at Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday (kick-off 5pm), Salford will be aiming to avoid slipping to a fourth consecutive defeat in Super League.
Winless Toronto Wolfpack are the only team last year's Grand Final runners-up have managed to overcome so far in 2020 and they were beaten 22-12 at home to Wakefield Trinity last weekend.
That most recent defeat proved particularly galling for head coach Ian Watson and he pulled no punches in demanding a response from his Salford squad away to Catalans Dragons.
"Potentially it's a hangover from last season," Watson said. "Maybe we think we're better than what we are, but that will give us a rude awakening that we're not that good.
"We need to get some stuff sorted out pretty quickly and focus on what we were good at last year, which is being a team working together, not individuals trying to do well.
"We got a rude awakening and we need to smarten up pretty quickly. Sometimes you can get too above your station of where you think you are as a group because of previous successes."
The good news is Watson has Kevin Brown available again after the experienced half-back completed his suspension, while Tyrone McCarthy returns from injury to boost his back row options as well.
In contrast to the visitors, Catalans go into the match full of confidence after fighting back to snatch a 34-29 win at the death away to Hull FC last Sunday.
However, the French side will be wary of the danger posed by Salford after suffering a surprise 46-0 defeat to them at this venue last year.
Although both teams have undergone notable changes in personnel since then, Dragons full-back Sam Tomkins conceded that result will still be in the minds of everyone involved.
"At the time, it was a bit of a shock," Tomkins said. "We were way off the pace and it was probably a wake-up call for all of us of where we were.
"It showed no matter how well you train, you need to turn up at the weekend and play. It was probably the heaviest defeat I've ever experienced and it will be in the back of our minds."
Catalans' off-season overhaul included bringing in former Australia international James Maloney - who grabbed the winning try at Hull - and his compatriot Josh Drinkwater to form a new half-back partnership.
Tomkins is impressed with how the pair have settled in and believes there are plenty of promising signs from Steve McNamara's side following their first three games of the season.
"With two new half-backs coming in, it was important we got combinations working as soon as possible," Tomkins said.
"There's obviously still a lot to work on but it seems like we're a step ahead of where we were last year in terms of combinations and the spine."
It has been a difficult time on the field for Hull Kingston Rovers, having suffered four straight defeats following the season-opening win against Wakefield.
To compound matters, Rovers are expected to be without leading try-scorer Ben Crooks for at least two months due to a neck injury - although they do have George Lawler, Jordan Abdull, Robbie Mulhern and Harvey Livett back in contention ahead of Sunday's trip to Wigan Warriors (kick-off 3pm).
The Robins have had a lift off the field, too, with the news club icon Stanley Gene has returned to offer his expertise in a coaching role after enjoying two successful playing stints in East Hull.
Head coach Tony Smith is familiar with Gene from his time in charge of Huddersfield Giants, where the Papua New Guinean played under him, and was quick to add him to his staff when the opportunity arose.
"Some people underestimate Stanley's knowledge," Smith said. "I didn't, and don't, because I've worked with him before.
"I think because of the part of the world he's from, or whatever assessments people make, sometimes they don't quite get it right because Stanley and other Papua New Guineans are strong characters carrying the ball and they use a bit of physical force getting their point across.
"Stanley is a thinker and was an intelligent player and I gave him a lot of responsibility in roles in order to utilise him to his fullest, so when I had the opportunity for him to join our coaching staff, I've snapped his hand off."
Bevan French could hardly have asked for a better start to his first full season with Wigan after putting in a string of impressive displays during the opening five matches.
The full-back moved from NRL side Parramatta Eels in July last year and showed plenty of glimpses of his potential in his subsequent appearances before the end of the 2019 campaign.
For his part, French believes moving to the Warriors midway through the season has served him well and helped him to adjust to life in Super League prior to getting down to business in the build-up to 2020.
"I'm just happy on the field and off it," French said. "I'm glad I joined when I did because it gave me a taste of what to expect in both rugby and life outside.
"When you're happy you play a bit more freely with confidence, which all comes from the pre-season work we have done on combinations."
French and his Wigan team-mates are aiming to make it four straight wins when they host struggling Hull KR on Sunday, although they will do it without the imposing presence of Tony Clubb in the front row due to a shoulder injury.
However, fellow prop Ben Flower is available for his first appearance of the year, while Jake Bibby and Joe Burgess return to the 21-man squad.
