EYEBROWS were raised when Catalans Dragons were introduced to Super League in 2006.

But 13 years on, they’re still here as a competitive force in the top flight and for supporters making the journey from England to watch their team play in the south of France it is a highlight on the calendar.

We will see that on Saturday when more than 1,500 Wire fans, having snapped up the two lots of ticket allocations received by the club, converge on Stade Gilbert Brutus in Perpignan from all parts of southern France and Spain – where weekend and longer holidays have been built around watching Steve Price’s men in action.

Warrington Guardian:

Warrington Guardian:

Pictures sent in by fans already in France/Spain for a holiday as well as going to Saturday's match. Send us your pictures while over there for the game: Tweet to WG_Sport or email to mike.parsons@nqnw.co.uk or post to the link on our Warrington Wolves-Warrington Guardian Facebook page

Super League on the ‘Med’ appears as popular now - especially for the summer fixtures - as it was when it was initially a novelty for those disbelieving in expanding the 13-a-side code.

There were fears in some quarters that Les Catalans would be just another Paris St Germain, the club which made Super League ‘European’ rather than ‘English’ when the switch to summer rugby came about in 1996.

PSG lasted only two seasons but proved not to be viable financially, and with no infrastructure in a part of France with little rugby league history that should not have come as a surprise.

In contrast, the south, with a domestic competition and RL history - not forgetting passionate supporters crying out for elite ‘rugby a treize’ - the great Catalans Dragons adventure has proven to be a huge success story.

The 2018 Challenge Cup Final win - their first silverware success - against The Wire and achieving a record Super League attendance on the back of that when accepting the invite to take their ‘home’ game against Wigan on the road to the Nou Camp in Barcelona two months ago provides further evidence of Catalans’ growing place in the sport.

Like any club, they’ve had their ups and downs and dices with relegation, but Super League would certainly be poorer for not having them around.

Many Wire fans have chosen them as their ‘second’ team, which goes back to the warm and hospitable reception received when more than 3,000 descended on Perpignan 13 years ago - many of whom boosted the local economy by attempting to drink the city dry in the hot sun.

Ironically, Warrington supporters cheered Catalans to a Challenge Cup semi-final success against St Helens last year only to then be left heartbroken by their second-choice heroes at Wembley.

Also, enhancing the bond, the French outfit were backed by around 1,000 Wire fans when Catalans defeated Wigan in the 2009 cup semi-final at The Halliwell Jones Stadium.

Super League could be on the verge of more expansionism.

Canadian side Toronto Wolfpack have already won the League Leaders’ Shield in the Championship and will go into the play-offs as favourites to gain promotion, while French outfit Toulouse Olympic XIII are among the chasing pack.

Perhaps next year new bonds will be built but, as relationships go between rival fans, the one between the primrose and blue army and the Dragons counterparts has always seemed special.

Nowadays, a lot make their way to Lloret de Mar on Spain’s Costa Brava, a popular holiday destination around 80 miles west of Stade Gilbert Brutus, and then travel into Perpy on match day.

Fans have arranged a charity primrose and blue takeover event at the Queen Vic pub on Friday night which promises to be memorable in itself.

> TALKING POINTS: What would constitute a successful Wire season from this point

On Saturday a carnival atmosphere will build beside the 16th-century Castillet, a fortification and city door that acts as a magnet to fans arriving and staying in Perpignan.

And although all of the colour, noise and vibrancy transfers to the stadium and its nearby bars ahead of kick-off, in the blink of an eye Catalans fans turn the place into a cauldron as partisan as anywhere in sport.

The referee gets jeers in the ears from minute one to 80 and a male voice leads the home fans’ chanting over the tannoy system, reminding everyone that this isn’t Leeds or Wigan - you’re in Catalonia now.

On the pitch, matching the physicality - a trademark of Catalans home performances - is paramount in these fixtures, and so is coping with the heat - with the forecast showing a sunny and sticky 31 degrees come kick-off.

And this time there is the Wire recovery to consider from the energy-sapping Challenge Cup semi-final last weekend, when the Catalans players enjoyed a break and were probably topping up their tans on the beach at neighbouring Canet.

> READ: Heartfelt reflections on Ben Westwood's decision to retire

Steve McNamara will have his players prepped to fly into The Wire to judge how much they’re really up for this particular fight.

Price’s pack stars will need to get over the top of their rivals early, build an advantage to silence the influential home support and hopefully hang on when the heat takes its toll.

Easier said than done but with Hull breathing down Wire’s necks for second place and Catalans needing every point to maintain their chances of a place in the play-offs all is set for a tasty spectacle five days before Super League leaders St Helens come to town.