Huddersfield Giants v Hull KR: Imperative we back up opening round win says Giants coach Ian Watson

He's back: Veteran Huddersfield Giants winger Jermaine McGillvary is set to start against Hull KR. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

Huddersfield play host to Hull KR this afternoon, seven days after a 42-14 win at Toulouse Olympique in Super League round one.

“It is really important to back it up,” stressed Watson.

“You want to get the season off to the best possible start.

Warning: Huddersfield Giants coach Ian Watson. Picture by Simon Wilkinson/SWpix.com

“We spoke about wanting to get the win in Toulouse and this game is no different.”

He insisted: “We went to get the win and then the confidence starts to breed in your group and you know you are heading in the right direction.

“It’s important we have consistency in our team and in our level of performance, while hopefully improving on how we started last week.”

Toulouse opened the scoring with an early try and Watson admitted his men need to be better in the opening quarter today.

He recalled: “We didn’t start the way we wanted to, we were looking to play when we didn’t need to and we didn’t have any intent in our defence.

“When we started doing the right things, it flowed for us then.”

Watson believes that response proved Giants are now made of sterner stuff than 12 months ago.

“I think at the start of last year, if we’d gone behind like that I am not sure we’d have pulled it back,” he added

“This group is completely different, they knew what they needed to do and they executed on the back of it.”

Jermaine McGillvary will replace Lewis Senior in Giants side today and Ricky Leutele will replace Jack Wardle, who has an ankle injury. Watson said Owen Trout will start with Matty English dropping to the bench and Adam O’Brien could take over from Olly Ashall-Bott among the substitutes.