Wane and Tomkins eye week off bonus

Wigan coach Shaun Wane and full-back Sam Tomkins say they will welcome the reward of a week off in the play-offs, if they beat Catalan on Friday night.

Having secured the minor premiership, attention now turns to the run to October’s Super League Grand Final at Old Trafford, and as Wane calls it, “a new competition.”

He said: “Catalan can beat anybody on their day, so we need to make sure our preparations are nailed on, we can’t think two games on.

“I’m happy with how the players have stayed fresh, our physio has done a great job. If we win this weekend, we get a week off, we’ll be welcome.

“It’s been a tough ask for the players, I’ve put them under the pump and under a lot of pressure, but the way that we’ve prepared them throughout the season, they’ll be fit as fiddles this weekend.”

Wane is aware that the Warriors will have to front up against the Dragons, pinpointing the talents of Dream Team selection Scott Dureau, their big middle unit, and the recent good form of Vincent Duport and Damien Blanch on the edges.

Another member of the Dream Team, Tomkins, is confident that Wigan can repeat their 36-12 victory over the Frenchmen in March.

He said: “Catalan are a good team, but we’ve beaten them this year already, and we’ll beat them again on Friday.

“In 2010, we won it without a week off, but it would be nice (to have the break).”

Wigan also won 36-14 when they played in France back in June.