SAINTS are bracing themselves for a big response from a wounded Wigan Warriors when the sides face off in Friday night's big derby at the TWS.

While the champions hit their straps with a season's best 48-6 win over Huddersfield, their rivals from over the lump endures a miserable Magic with a 46-22 demise.

Although buoyant Saints, who will be roared on by a big crowd with the West Stand already sold out, will have a spring in their steps - Paul Wellens anticipates a Wigan reaction. 

Wellens said: "Wigan are a quality side but that was a poor result at the weekend.

"When I was watching that you know that teams like Wigan with experienced players in their ranks, like Liam Farrell and Sam Powell, will very quickly recognise that they had a drop in standards at Magic and they will be very keen to fix that up.

"We expect them to be really coming at us at the weekend to try and make amends for that.

"Add on to that the fact that it is a derby and there is no extra motivation needed for a player."

Unless the sides meet in the Challenge Cup or play-offs, this will be the last time the rivals will play each other this term and Saints wil be keen to avenge the 14-6 Good Friday reverse.

Wellens added: "They are always generally quite tense close affairs. As you saw on Good Friday it was quite frantic at times.

"Handling those situations and managing those moments in those games is crucial.

"I thought on Good Friday Wigan got the better of those small moments and off the back of that it had a bearing on the result on the day.

"We have to harness the fact that we have come off the back of a great performance at Magic but also know that we need to be back it up on Friday because there’s a team coming over the hill who wil be very keen to back on track as well.

"It is going to be a great occasion and all the players already know the importance of it.

"You never really need to sell these occasions as such – they speak for themselves and I cant wait for the weekend and the players feel exactly the same."