Wigan Warriors V St Helens: Paul Wellens discusses the significance of the Good Friday Derby

The two teams go head-to-head this week in the Good Friday Derby at the DW Stadium (K.O. 3pm).

Wellens knows exactly what the fixture means to the two towns, having experienced the game from a number of perspectives.

“I’ve seen it from a supporters angle, I’ve seen it from a players angle, and now it’ll be as a head coach,” he said.

“We realise it’s an important game for people from both towns.

“This fixture always carries more significance.

“If you were going to pick one game that you wanted to win then it’d be this one.

“The only matches that come bigger than this are the play-offs or the cup finals, so it creates a lot of excitement.

“There are similarities between both towns and both teams.

“Historically Wigan have had a lot of success, and likewise we have.

“What both teams need is each other to be strong, and I think we bring out the best in each other, and you’ll see that on Friday.

“We’re just focusing on our performance because that’s going to be key for us.

“It’s important to approach big games in a relaxed manner.

“There’s a lot of energy around the game and you’ve got to play it in a certain way, but at the same time you’ve got to be smart and not let the emotion get the better of you.

“We know there are different challenges when you approach big games, but I’ve got every confidence in this group because they’ve shown they can handle the big occasions.

“A win would give everyone a huge boost, but we’re not focussing too much on the outcome, it’s all about the process.

“If we can get that right then the result usually follows.”

Wellens says he’s looking forward to coming up against Matty Peet for the first time, with both coaches knowing exactly what the Good Friday Derby means.

“It’s great for both towns,” he added.

“I’m immensely proud as a St Helens lad to coach my hometown team, and I’m sure it’s exactly the same for Matty.

“I was delighted to see him get the opportunity to coach Wigan.

“He’s had a good reputation for a long time now, and quickly got success last year.

“It’s great for me to go up against a coach of Matty’s capabilities and we look forward to the challenge on Friday.

“I love coming to the DW.

“It’s a great place to come and play.

“Thousands of people are going to come to watch Wigan, but we’ve also sold-out our allocation.

“This fixture does deserve a complete sell-out, and I think we’ll get very close to that.”

Both teams will be without key players on Friday afternoon, with Jai Field, Cade Cust and Alex Walmsley all ruled out.

Wellens stated: "It’s unfortunate because what these fixtures deserve is the best v best.

"It’s a huge occasion and it’d be even better having all those players on the field.

"There’s still a lot of quality out there, but it’s disappointing for both those guys because they add a great deal to both teams.”