Wigan v Catalan preview
Pat Richards is happy to reach an unexpected landmark when he makes his Super League debut for Catalans Dragons at Wigan on Friday.
Ten years ago a 23-year-old Richards played his Super League game for Wigan against the Dragons and thought he had marked it with the match-winning try, only for Catalans to fight back with two late scores to claim a memorable 38-30 victory in their historic opening game in Perpignan.
That try was the first of 167 in Wigan colours for the popular Australian, who piled up 2,462 points from 224 appearances in eight years before returning to the Wests Tigers at the end of the 2013 season.
That was meant to be his swansong but, two years later, Richards is back after signing a two-year deal with the Dragons and will make his 200th Super League appearance against his old club at the DW Stadium on Friday night.
"I thought how ironic that is," said Richards. "My first game in Super League was against Catalans and now my first game back is against Wigan. It's funny how things work out.
"In rugby league you can't really look too far ahead and predict where you are going to be. At the time I was quite happy to go back to the NRL and I really enjoyed my time at the Tigers.
"But an opportunity came up to play for Catalans and live in France and that was something that really appealed to me and my family at this stage of my career."
Richards, who turns 34 later this month, is remembered with such fondness at Wigan, where he won two Super League titles, two Challenge Cups and the Man of Steel award in 2010, that they named a meeting room after him.
Wigan coach Shaun Wane said: "He's a great player and an even better man off the field. His family are coming over early and staying with mine."
Wigan, Grand Final runners-up for the last two years, will be looking to extend their proud unbeaten record at the DW Stadium, where they last tasted defeat in June 2014, while the Dragons are desperately hoping to improve their sorry record on the road.
The Catalans, so strong in Perpignan, won just two away games in 2015 but they are hoping the addition of Richards as well as Richie Myler and Paul Aiton will help them find their feet on English soil.
"A lot of the guys have got a lot of experience of playing in England but it shouldn't really bother us too much," Richards said. "It's still a patch of grass and it's about doing the job.
"It's a very professional club and, if we get that travel right, I'm sure we can put in some good performances in England as well."
Wigan Warriors: John Bateman, Josh Charnley, Tony Clubb, Liam Farrell, Ben Flower, Anthony Gelling, Oliver Gildart, Willie Isa, Dom Manfredi, Michael McIlorum, Lee Mossop, Sean O¹Loughlin, Sam Powell, Dan Sarginson, Matty Smith, Ryan Sutton, Taulima Tautai, Lewis Tierney, George Williams.
Catalans Dragons: Paul Aiton, Louis Anderson, Jason Baitieri, Julian Bousquet, Todd Carney, Vincent Duport, Olivier Elima, Tony Gigot, Justin Horo, Krisnan Inu, Antoni Maria, Greg Mounis, Richie Myler, Eloi Pelissier, Pat Richards, Stan Robin, Glenn Stewart, Dave Taylor, Fouad Yaha.
