Catalans Dragons are hoping a change in travel arrangements will hold the key to an upturn in fortunes in their away form.
During the regular 2015 Super League campaign, the side from the South of France have regularly suffered from travel sickness.
They lost 10 of their 12 fixtures away from their Stade Gilbert Brutus home in Perpignan, with their 22-22 Magic Weekend draw against the Giants and a big win at bottom club Wakefield their only positive results on English soil.
As a result, they started the Super 8s series six points outside the top four.
And in a bid to build on Saturday’s excellent 26-16 opening Super 8s success over St Helens in France, they’ve shelved initial plans to stay overnight in a hotel – which is something they’ve done throughout the regular season – and will instead fly in to the UK on the morning of the game.
It was a strategy which served them well last year, when they flew in on the day and secured play-off wins at the Giants and Leeds Rhinos, and they’ll obviously be hoping lightening can strike twice.
But recent history suggests they’ll struggle to achieve success at the John Smith’s Stadium tomorrow night.
In the three previous meetings between the clubs this season, the Giants have collected five of the six League points on offer.
Huddersfield proved far too strong in the England fixture as they stormed to an emphatic 38-14 victory in April and then backed it up with a hard-fought 14-12 triumph in France just under a month ago.
Those defeats were two of 12 inflicted on the Dragons during the regular season, and if they suffer a third defeat at the hands of the Giants tonight, then their hopes of reaching the play-off semi-finals will have been dealt a very considerable blow.
Powerhouse forward Zeb Taia will be hoping for a big finish to his Catalans Dragons career.
The 30-year-old has agreed to join Australian NRL side Gold Coast Titans for the start of next season.
Taia, who is the Dragons’ top tryscorer this season with 11 scores to his name, joined the Super League club from Newcastle Knights in 2013 and has been a big hit in the South of France, with many tipping him as a potential Super League Man of Steel.
“It’s an opportunity I couldn’t refuse,” said Taia after signing a two-year deal. “I appreciate Catalans allowing me to return to the NRL. We have enjoyed our stay here and my goal here was to be one of the influential players in the team.”
He has successfully completed that aim – but will feel he still has some uncompleted business.
