THE start of the Super League season is now just seven weeks away.

And Saints will be kicking off the year with a real crackerjack of a tie.

Last year’s League Leaders Shield winners Saints take on Super League champions Wigan in a game that ensures that the season will start with a bang.

It is a fixture that Saints forward Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook always manages to get up for ­— even if that gets under the skin of the Warriors.

And although he is something of a pantomime villain for opposing fans, the Londoner relishes that.

He said: “Wigan prop Tony Clubb, who is one of my best mates in the game, tells me that everyone there hates me.

“But when I met up with some of the Wigan lads when I went with Ireland with the World Cup they said ‘you are all right, really’.

“I just talk too much!

“They could not start the the season any earlier - but having a derby to kick the season off will get the crowds packing out the stadium from the start.

“Hopefully it will bring out a good performance from us and we will see where we are.

“Wigan won the Grand Final last year and it is up to us to knock them over and get the two points.”