Catalans Dragons v Saints - Preview

Still unbeaten, Saints face one of the more testing away trips on the schedule when they visit Catalans Dragons in Round 9 of the BetFred Super League on Saturday (April 6, kick-off 6.00).

The headline going into this one is the likely return to first team action of Danny Richardson. Despite being named in the Super League Dream Team in 2018 Richardson has not featured for Saints so far in 2019. Theo Fages has been coach Justin Holbrook’s preferred choice at halfback but the Frenchman misses the trip back to his home land with a hip injury picked up in last week’s 36-24 win over Hull KR. It’s unfortunate for Fages but it offers a golden opportunity for Richardson to re-establish himself in the side. He is likely to have two chances, with Fages already ruled out of next week’s visit from Warrington.

The only other change to the 19-man squad from that named last week sees Jack Welsby come in for Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook. The former London man follows Alex Walmsley and Zeb Taia in missing out due to the impending birth of a child. Walmsley and Taia missed the win over Rovers to be with their partners and this week it is the turn of McCarthy-Scarsbrook to welcome a new addition to the family while presumably trying not to pass out. I think I’d find it easier to tackle Remi Casty and company so good luck to McCarthy-Scarsbrook on that.

That 19 selected by Holbrook last week wasn’t really worth the paper it was written on. As well as Taia and Walmsley James Roby missed the game due one of those slight niggles that seem to plague him whenever we have a more gentle home game on the horizon. Expect him to return for this one. It’s a bit of a no-brainer but still tough on Aaron Smith who performed admirably in Roby’s absence last week.

Also back is Mark Percival who missed the visit of the Robins through illness. That meant Welsby started at centre although he was moved to the halves after Fages’ early exit from proceedings. James Bentley ended up playing most of the game in Percival’s left centre berth but you can expect the England man to be restored this week. Bentley has missed out on selection altogether this time around.

The rest of the side should be as you’d expect, with the impressive Lachlan Coote at fullback behind wingers Tommy Makinson and Regan Grace with Kevin Naiqama partnering Percival in the centres. Jonny Lomax will be a familiar halfback partner for Richardson as he looks to fit back into the side.

Up front the absence of McCarthy-Scarsbrook means perhaps more game time for one of Matty Lees, Jack Ashworth or Kyle Amor. Lees started the game last week while Walmsley was welcoming his new son into the world so might be favourite, although Amor produced a fine try-scoring cameo against Tim Sheens’ side to stake his claim too. Luke Thompson carried the pack at times last week and should be a certainty alongside Walmsley.

Taia will slot back into the second row alongside cult hero Dominique Peyroux who has been excellent on the right edge so far in 2019. Morgan Knowles will continue to tackle everything at loose forward with Joseph Paulo on the bench waiting to cover a number of positions, one of which was stand-off in parts of Saints’ last outing as the reshuffle was reshuffled.

The Dragons have been a little bit unpredictable so far this term and are coming in off the back of a 42-0 shellacking at crisis club and all round disgrace Wigan Warriors. Steve McNamara questioned the attitude of his side as an 8-0 half-time deficit became an embarrassing rout as Wigan ran in six second half tries. This is also a Catalans side that managed to lose 46-0 at home to Salford but which is the only team to have beaten Warrington in 2019. Until next week perhaps. The point is that when Catalans are good they’re very good but when they’re bad they’re quite atrocious.

McNamara has largely stood by the players who let him down so badly at Wigan. The only change to their 19 sees Benjamin Julien come in for the injured Kenny Edwards. The latter has made a big impact since arriving from Parramatta Eels last year, not least with Saints fans whose ire was raised following an alleged ball-throwing episode when the teams met in the semi-final of the Challenge Cup in August. Saints were blown away that day and will need to be physically ready for the challenge of facing the Dragons pack featuring the likes of Casty, Sam Moa, Matt Whitley, Greg Bird, Jason Baitieri and new addition Sam Kasiano.

One pantomime villain who won’t be there is Mickey McIlorum who is still out injured, but if you want a Sam to boo you’re spoiled for choice with former Wigan irritant Tomkins alongside Moa, Kasiano and Samisoni Langi. As well as Tomkins there is more ex-Wigan influence in the squad in the shape of former Saints splinter collector Matty Smith and Scotland international Lewis Tierney. If all that doesn’t have you screaming with rage there’s always talented but infuriating wind-up merchant Tony Gigot to focus on.

Any side would miss David Mead who is currently side-lined but in Brayden Williame the Dragons have one of the more eye-catching centres of the early part of the season while winger Fouad Yaha is only two weeks on from a four-try performance which was too hot for Leeds to handle.

Saints last visit to Perpignan ended in a 26-22 success in the now defunct Super 8s last September. Tries from Fages, Knowles, Lomax and Percival sealed that win, with Richardson landing five goals. Saints haven’t lost in France since a 33-16 reverse in June 2016 when among their try-scorers in defeat were McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Shannon McDonnell and Adam Swift. Jack Owens kicked two goals. Times have changed.

As far as you can be against this enigmatic Dragons side Saints should be confident going into this one. At full strength they have been on a different level this year, especially defensively where before last week’s chaotic events they had conceded an average of less than 12 points per game. If Holbrook’s side can match up to the physical challenge of the Dragons while keeping their discipline they could enter next week’s Warrington clash looking for a perfect ten out of ten to start 2019.

Squads;


Catalans Dragons;


Tony Gigot 4. Brayden Williame 5. Lewis Tierney 6. Samisoni Lange 7. Matty Smith 8. Remi Casty 10. Sam Moa 13. Greg Bird 14. Julian Bousquet 16. Benjamin Julien 17. Matt Whitley 18. Alrix De Costa 19. Mickael Goudemand 22. Lucas Albert 24. Jason Baitieri 25. Arthur Romano 27. Fouad Yaha 28. Sam Tomkins 29. Sam Kasiano


St Helens;


1. Jonny Lomax 2. Tommy Makinson 3. Kevin Naiqama 4. Mark Percival 5. Regan Grace 7. Danny Richardson 8. Alex Walmsley. 9. James Roby 10. Luke Thompson 11. Zeb Taia 12. Joseph Paulo 15. Morgan Knowles 16. Kyle Amor 17. Dominique Peyroux 19. Matty Lees 20. Jack Ashworth 21. Aaron Smith 23. Lachlan Coote 29. Jack Welsby


Referee: Robert Hicks