Coral sponsored Wigan worthy favourites to slay the Giants

Wigan Warriors will be looking to build on an opening day draw at Widnes Vikings in their first Super League home game of the campaign when they play Huddersfield Giants (8pm KO, Live on Sky Sports 1).

Shaun Wane’s side took a share of the spoils in their season opener that finished all square at 22-22, though Warriors did twice lead 16-0 and 22-12, and also had a man advantage for much of the game after Patrick Ah Van’s red card.

It was not the first time Wigan have let things slide on the opening day, but they are odds-on 4/11 favourites with official club sponsor Coral to put that display behind them and beat the Giants, despite having to cope without influential scrum half Matty Smith.

Suspension rules Smith out of this Roses derby after kicking out against Widnes’ Rhys Hanbury and, in his absence, Warriors will start with a rookie half-back partnership in 22-year-old Sam Powell and 20-year-old George Williams.

It will mean that Wigan skipper Sean O’Loughlin and hooker Mickey Mcllorum will have to be strong and shoulder the additional responsibility of guarding the young guns.

Warriors have some class attacking players, however, in the shape of Josh Charnley and Anthony Gelling, and this pair should prove too strong for their opponents Huddersfield, who suffered a humiliating 19-0 opening-day home defeat to Hull FC.

Winger Joe Burgess also features in a matchday special at 11/8 to score a try and hosts Wigan to win, which is well worth taking.

The last time the two sides met, Warriors ran out comprehensive 57-4 winners and that makes backing the home side at -8 on the handicap look well worth considering at 10/11 with Coral.

Not surprisingly, it’s the heavy scoring Charnley that heads the first try scorer market at 6/1, but the value could be Gelling at 11/1.