Wigan were grateful for two early tries from hooker Michael McIlorum as they ground out an opening 12-6 Super League win over Catalans Dragons in dreadful conditions at the DW Stadium.
Last year's grand final runners-up were far from their fluent best but hardly needed to be against a Dragons side that couldn't get to grips with the greasy ball on a glue-pot of a pitch playing host to a third game in a week.
"They were shocking conditions and the new ball was unbelievably poor," said Wigan coach Shaun Wane.
To have 86 per cent completion after 20 minutes was a great effort but then it dropped to 50 per cent so there are things to work on.
"We've had one week with all our players together and I thought our finishing in the final third was off but with a dry track next week at Huddersfield we'll improve on that.
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"I thought we were smart most of the time. We were desperate to get two points, that's the main thing."
It was an inauspicious way for former Wigan favourite Pat Richards, one of six players making their Catalans debut, to mark his 200th Super League appearance, 10 years on from making his Warriors bow in a defeat by the Dragons in Perpignan.
Former NRL stars David Taylor and Glenn Stewart also suffered defeats in their debuts for the French club.
St Helens boss Keiron Cunningham saluted halves Luke Walsh and Jordan Turner after his side's 30-16 victory over Huddersfield.
Australian Walsh booted five goals and his kicks also set up tries for Atelea Vea and Luke Thompson.
Turner, replacing Travis Burns at stand-off, scored the 100th try of his career with Mark Percival bagging a brace.
Elsewhere, Hull FC proved too strong for a fast-finishing Salford 42-20.
