Wakefield Trinity prepare to move on with safety close to being secured

Trinity are now six points ahead of their French rivals with only three games to play and they also have a superior points difference going into the double-header Bank Holiday weekend.

All the teams are in action twice, but Poching is hoping the relegation issue will be put to bed in the first of those matches with Wakefield at home to Hull KR tonight and Toulouse hosting Catalans Dragons.

He said: “There’s a bit of relief for us. We’re still not home and hosed, as I said last week, but we’re fighting, we’re fighting in the right way and I’m really pleased we were able to get back to back wins.

"Who knows what’s going to happen in the next three games. Toulouse have still got three opportunities as have we. We have to make sure we’re secure in what we have to do.

“It would be foolish of us not to start to put some things in place. We can start doing a little bit.

"But we can’t get too ahead of ourselves, we’ve still got to perform and get ourselves ready for every single game.”

Wakefield Trinity's Lewis Murphy called into England Knights squad

Poching was delighted by the display of hat-trick star Lewis Murphy against Hull and is encouraged by the young winger’s development in recent weeks.

He added: “Lewis is coming on leaps and bounds.

"It's good for any winger to score those tries, but that wasn't the most pleasing part for me. I asked him to get his work rate really high and I couldn't have asked for more.

"He's undoubtedly got great finishing qualities, but we're trying to fashion him into a great all-round winger.

"His future is anything he wants it to be. If he’s willing to work and invest the time to learn his craft and become the winger we think he can be then anything can happen.

"I also have to credit our middles, who did a really good job, especially after losing Jai Whitbread early on. Josh Bowden and Tinirau Arona were particularly good.”

• Hull KR have signed Wakefield Trinity back-rower James Batchelor on a two-year deal.

The 24-year-old will join the Robins for the 2023 season.