NOT since 2019 have Warrington Wolves started a season with back-to-back victories.

That year, Steve Price’s side got to Round Five before taking their perfect record to France and returning with it having hit the buffers at the hands of Catalans Dragons.

While the current vintage’s run is barely comparable at this stage, they will hope that this crossing of the Channel is much more fruitful.

The expectation is that it will be as The Wire will likely start their first ever trip to Toulouse Olympique as comfortable favourites.

 

Saturday will see Warrington play at the Stade Ernest Wallon for the first time ever. Picture by SWPix.com

Saturday will see Warrington play at the Stade Ernest Wallon for the first time ever. Picture by SWPix.com

 

Supporters will be anticipating their side to land back in England not just with two league points but with a beefed-up points difference having put on a convincing display.

Daryl Powell himself will also expect his charges to build on a move in the right direction at home to Castleford Tigers last week. It may not click fully for a few weeks, but he will want to see another step forward.

Looking at it a little deeper, perhaps Saturday will be the first test of whether the group’s mentality has changed under Powell’s influence.

It is games in which they have been heavily favoured for victory where they have stumbled on occasion in recent years.

Last season, it was home defeats to Huddersfield and Leeds, the away loss at Wakefield and of course, the play-off humiliation against Hull KR – all games in which they were strong favourites but failed to fire.

A professional, ruthless performance is needed because while Toulouse may have struggled in their opening two rounds, they have weapons capable of punishing any hint of complacency.

The desperation to prove those already writing them off as cannon fodder can bring an extra few per cent out in a team.

Tony Gigot knows how to mastermind an against-the-odds win over Warrington. Remember Wembley in 2018, when he inspired Catalans to a momentous Challenge Cup win and picked up the Lance Todd Trophy?

 

Tony Gigot is Toulouse Olympiques new captain. Picture by SWPix.com

Tony Gigot is Toulouse Olympique's new captain. Picture by SWPix.com

 

He has the tools to hurt any opposition on his day and The Wire must be wary of his mercurial talents.

Make no mistake, too, they will have been relishing the chance to get one of Super League’s higher-ranked clubs to the Stade Ernest Wallon and without wishing to disrespect Round One visitors Huddersfield, this will be their first chance.

I don’t think I am alone in wanting Toulouse to be a success in Super League and they have been a victim of circumstance since their promotion was confirmed.

Factors beyond their control such as the French government mandating Covid vaccinations for any professional sportspeople competing in the country have cost them skipper Johnathan Ford and full-back Mark Kheirallah – their two star players of recent years.

While there was no guarantee either would have excelled in the top flight, their loss has overshadowed the build-up to what should have been – and still could be – a historic season.

I still believe they will cause teams problems in Super League, but The Wire must ensure that does not start this weekend.