Super League Preview: St Helens v Catalan
Catalan have spent the week in the UK ahead of Friday’s game against St Helens, as they look to bounce back from last weekend’s defeat at Hull.
Coach Laurent Frayssinous took in Monday’s Challenge Cup draw, which saw the Dragons drawn out against Championship side Hunslet.
A man who will miss that tie, and the next four months of action, is forward Olivier Elima, who has undergone surgery on a ruptured bicep.
He joins Brent Webb and Scott Dureau, who landed a memorable last second touchline conversion in this fixture last season, on the long-term injury list for the French side.
Thomas Bosc, Damien Blanch and Daryl Millard all return to the squad, having arrived at the Dragons’ Manchester base on Sunday night after missing the Hull game through injury.
St Helens coach Nathan Brown has drafted forward Carl Forster in to his 19-man squad – the 32nd player he will have used this season.
Forster comes in for Mark Flanagan, who picked up an injury during last week’s defeat against Hull KR.
St Helens 19-man squad: Wellens, Turner, Soliola, Meli, Hohaia, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Wilkin, Laffranchi, Clough, Jones, Makinson, Forster, Ashe, Greenwood, Walmsley, Swift, Percival, Tilley, Howarth.
Catalan 19-man squad: Blanch, Pryce, Taia, Bosc, Henderson, Casty, Menzies, Anderson, Mounis, Barthau, Pelissier, Larroyer, Millard, Simon, Fakir, Paea, Baitieri, Vaccari, Escare.
Prediction: St Helens have been doing it tough, but will be desperate to avoid another slip at home – home win.
Last 10 meetings:
Catalan Dragons 15, St Helens 20 (SLR21, 20/7/12)
St Helens 32, Catalan Dragons 34 (SLR4, 24/2/12)
St Helens 40, Catalan Dragons 18 (SLR22, 15/7/11)
Catalan Dragons 16, St Helens 22 (SLR4, 5/3/11)
St Helens 20, Catalan Dragons 30 (SLR21, 9/7/10)
Catalan Dragons 12, St Helens 42 (SLR3, 20/2/10)
St Helens 12, Catalan Dragons 24 (SLR27, 11/9/09)
Catalan Dragons 28, St Helens 32 (SLR13, 16/5/09)
St Helens 42, Catalan Dragons 8 (CCR5, 10/5/09)
St Helens 28, Catalan Dragons 10 (SLR14, 17/5/08)
Super League summary
St Helens won 9
Catalan Dragons won 6
St Helens highest score: 53-10 (H, 2007) (also widest margin)
Catalan Dragons highest score: 34-32 (A, 2012) (Widest margin: 21-0, H, 2007)