Super League Round 16: Team news, kick-off times & TV coverage

Ben Olawumi
Guy Armitage Toulouse Olympique SWpix

Photo: John Clifton/SWpix

Here is everything you need to know about Round 16 in Super League, including team news, kick-off times and television coverage.

St Helens v Leeds | Thursday | 8pm | Sky Sports Arena & Main Event

Aidan Sezer Leeds Rhinos

Rhinos boss Rohan Smith has been boosted by numerous returns ahead of their trip to the Totally Wicked Stadium. Out injured since mid-March, Aidan Sezer is back included and is expected to start against Saints.

Alongside the half-back, James Bentley returns from his third suspension of the season while Kruise Leeming is also back involved. Having departed the club earlier this week, Jack Broadbent is replaced by teenager Max Simpson. Elsewhere, Harry Newman is expected to make his first start of the season.

In the hosts camp, Kristian Woolf makes just one change to his Saints squad. The suspended James Bell drops out with Josh Simm his replacement. Sione Mata’utia serves the second – and last – game of his own suspension while Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook remains absent with a facial injury. Centre Mark Percival is also still out of action.

St Helens: Welsby, Makinson, Hopoate, Grace, Lomax, Walmsley, Roby, Lees, Batchelor, Knowles, Lussick, Sironen, Paasi, Wingfield, Simm, Davies, Hurrell, Norman, Royle, Bennison, Hill.

Leeds: Fusitu’a, Newman, Sutcliffe, Handley, Austin, Sezer, Oledzki, Leeming, Prior, Bentley, Martin, Tetevano, Dwyer, Myler, Smith, Thompson, Walters, O’Connor, Donaldson, Simpson, Hardaker.

Warrington v Hull | Friday | 8pm | Sky Sports Arena

Josh Reynolds Hull FC
Josh Reynolds has earned a full-time contract back in the NRL.

Hull coach Brett Hodgson has made four changes to his squad. Marquee half-back Josh Reynolds is set to leave the club with immediate effect and has not been named in the squad for obvious reasons.

Carlos Tuimavave (Achilles) and Jordan Johnstone (knock) miss out through injury. Prop Scott Taylor returns for Hull following his one-match suspension. Jacob Hookem, Aidan Burrell and Davy Litten also come into the squad.

Samoa World Cup hopeful Thomas Mikaele is expected to make his home Super League debut for Warrington. Prop James Harrison is included in Daryl Powell’s 21-man squad for the first time this season. He recently returned from an ACL injury for the club’s reserves.

Robbie Mulhern and Toby King, who were both part of an Ireland training squad recently, are included for Warrington.

Warrington: Ashton, Bullock, D Clark, J Clark, Cooper, Currie, Davis, Harrison, Holmes, King, Longstaff, Mata’utia, Mikaele, Mulhern, Philbin, Ratchford, Thewlis, Walker, Widdop, Williams, Wrench.

Hull: Swift, Griffin, McIntosh, Gale, Sao, Houghton, Satae, Ma’u, Lane, Lovodua, Evans, Fash, Brown, Wynne, Scott, Vulikijapani, Hookem, Burrell, Shaul, Taylor, Litten.

Wigan v Toulouse | Friday | 8pm

Kai Pearce-Paul Wigan Warriors SWpix
Photo: Allan McKenzie/SWpix

Wigan coach Matt Peet has made just one change to his squad that made the trip to Salford in Super League a fortnight ago. Kai Pearce-Paul is back in contention after suffering torn ligaments in their Challenge Cup sixth round win over Salford in March. He replaces Matty Nicholson.

Wigan forward Morgan Smithies will serve the third of his four-match suspension from the Cup final.

Toulouse will welcome back Guy Armitage for their trip to Wigan. Joe Bretherton, who came through the ranks at Wigan, is in line to make his return for the French side.

Sylvain Houles’ men will be without Ilias Bergal, Romain Navarrete, Hugo Pezet, Justin Sangare and Lloyd White.

Wigan: French, Bibby, Marshall, Leuluai, Singleton, Powell, Mago, Isa, Farrell, Bateman, Ellis, Smith, Partington, Havard, Byrne, Pearce-Paul, Shorrocks, Field, Miski, Halsall, O’Neill.

Toulouse: Schaumkel, Jussaume, Marcon, Norman, Albert, Hansen, Dixon, Peyroux, Marion, Pelissier, Puech, Bretherton, Hankinson, Armitage, Russell, Ashall-Bott, Peats, Belmas, Stefani, Gigot, Alvaro.

Salford v Wakefield | Sunday | 3pm

Ryan Brierley Salford

Red Devils boss Paul Rowley has only been able to name a 19-man squad for the visit of Trinity. Experienced head Danny Addy remains absent with a hamstring injury.

Morgan Escare meanwhile is out for the season after picking up an injury on international duty for France. Amir Bourouh completes the trio also missing from this weekend’s squad. Versatile back Matty Costello is the only player to come into the fray.

Willie Poching makes two changes to his Wakefield squad. They beat Warrington last time out. Tinirau Arona and youngster Harry Bowes drop out, replaced by Jack Croft and centre Tom Minns. 21-year-old Croft spent time out on loan in the Championship with both Newcastle and Barrow earlier this season.

Salford: Brierley, Sio, Watkins, Lafai, Burgess, Croft, Sneyd, Akauola, Ackers, Taylor, Livett, Atkin, Ormondroyd, Williams, Costello, Luckley, Cross, Gerrard, Dupree

Wakefield: Jowitt, Lineham, Miller, Lino, Battye, Hood, Ashurst, Tanginoa, Pitts, Crowther, Whitbread, Batchelor, Gaskell, Croft, Walker, Aydin, Murphy, Hall, Minns, Butler, Fifita

Hull KR v Huddersfield | Sunday | 3:15pm | Sky Sports Arena & Main Event

Challenge Cup Luke Yates

Fiji international Korbin Sims is the only change in KR’s pack from their defeat away at St Helens last time out. He replaces the injured Luis Johnson. The second-rower ruptured his pectoral in that loss against Saints. Johnson is expected to miss the remainder of the season.

In the opposition camp, the big news is the return of captain Luke Yates. He has been suspended for the Giants’ two Super League games since the Challenge Cup final on May 28. Seb Ikahihifo is also back involved with a pair of Jacks dropping out in Cogger and Ashworth. The latter joined Championship promotion chasers Featherstone on loan until the end of the season earlier this week.

Hull KR: Coote, Crooks, Kenny-Dowall, Hall, Vete, Parcell, King, Hadley, Storton, Litten, Sims, Minchella, Keinhorst, Dagger, Lewis, Milnes, Maher, Ryan, Wood, Richards, Halton

Huddersfield: Pryce, McGillvary, Wardle, Leutele, Golding, Lolohea, Levi, Lawrence, Jones, McQueen, Yates, English, Greenwood, Trout, Ikahififo, Wilson, Cudjoe, Russell, Senior, Hewitt, Mason

Castleford v Catalans | Sunday | 3:30pm

Arthur Mourgue Catalans Dragons SWpix
Photo: Isabel Pearce/SWpix

Lee Radford throws new signing Alex Mellor straight into the mix for Sunday’s visit of the Dragons. Jake Mamo also makes his comeback, absent for a month having returned home on compassionate leave. The only player to drop out of the fold for the Tigers is young Jason Qareqare. Notably, prop Liam Watts is also in line to make his 100th appearance for the Fords.

In the Catalans ranks, scrum-half Josh Drinkwater is back having missed their last five matches with an injury to his foot. Steve McNamara’s men are still without Dean Whare, who hasn’t featured since March.

Now added to the casualty list are French international duo Arthur Mourgue and Jordan Dezaria. Both look set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines having picked up injuries playing for their country against Wales last weekend.

Mourgue suffered ligament damage to his right ankle, with the club confirming he will be out for at least four weeks. Dezaria meanwhile has had to have surgery on a fracture to his left foot. The timeframe for his return is not yet known.

Castleford: Olpherts, Mamo, Faraimo, Trueman, Richardson, Watts, McShane, Lawler, Edwards, Milner, Westerman, Massey, Griffin, Fonua, Smith, Eden, Blair, Matagi, Hampshire, Martin, Mellor

Catalans: Davies, Langi, Yaha, Pearce, Drinkwater, Dudson, McIlorum, Bousquet, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia, Jullien, Seguier, Goudemand, Laguerre, Romano, May, Napa, Chan, Kasiano, Tomkins

PODCAST: John Kear on international rugby league, re-structure & new Widnes role