How Wigan Warriors are preparing for Dewsbury challenge as surprising Las Vegas comparison drawn

 

 

Wigan Warriors boss Matt Peet has drawn a surprising likeness between the fields of the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas and the FLAIR Stadium in Dewsbury, where his side will take on Huddersfield Giants this weekend.

 

The Giants‘ usual home, the John Smith’s Stadium, is unavailable due to a Stereophonics concert being held there.

 

Accordingly, Saturday afternoon’s Round 14 Super League clash had to be re-located, and the venue booked in was the home of League 1 outfit Dewsbury Rams.

 

The Rams – who were relegated from the Championship at the end of last season – are yet to taste Super League, and this will be the first top-flight game held at the FLAIR Stadium in the summer era.

 

But that hasn’t fazed Wigan, whose preparations have very much been as normal.

 

Back in Round 3, Wigan made history by winning the first-ever Super League game held in America. The Warriors beat Warrington Wolves 48-24 at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

 

Ahead of their clash with Huddersfield, Cherry and Whites head coach Peet revealed that the pitch dimensions in Vegas and Dewsbury aren’t all too dissimilar.

 

Speaking in Wednesday’s pre-match press conference, he detailed: “We don’t really have to (change our preparations) because it’s quite similar to our training field here at Robin Park.

 

“Some weeks here, we go on the field at the stadium. That isn’t an option anyway this week, but we’re alright.

 

“It (Dewsbury) is comparable to our training field and it’s comparable to the game we played over in Las Vegas, so it’s different, but it’s not brand new.

 

“We’re all for it, and we like the thought of playing somewhere different.

 

“You’ve got to embrace the challenges in this game, and all of these different opportunities. That’s the way we’re looking at it.”

 

As the hosts on Saturday, the Giants have been able to visit the FLAIR Stadium in the build-up to the game and use the field there as a training base.

 

Peet continued: “I think they’ll be freshened up by the fact it’s at Dewsbury and I think that adds a fresh angle to it. We’re really excited about the challenge.

 

“It’s somewhere that some of the lads won’t have played before, and the atmosphere will probably be better than Huddersfield.

 

“Sometimes the crowd gets lost at Huddersfield’s ground, so I think this will have a different feel to it with it being tighter.

 

“It might bring a better atmosphere and a better energy.”