SL preview: Catalans v St Helens (Sat)
Catalan head coach Laurent Frayssinous has named his 19-man squad for Saturday’s Super League game against St Helens at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium.
Scott Dureau, Brent Webb, Olivier Elima, Louis Anderson and Jason Baitieri, all injured, will miss the game.
Julian Bousquet is banned and captain Rémi Casty, suspended for one match after he was found guilty of punching offence committed against Salford Reds, will also miss the game.
Frayssinous has therefore re-called Mickael Simon, Jamal Fakir and former Saints player Leon Pryce.
Benjamin Garcia, who joined the club last month from Brisbane Broncos u20’s, is called on for the first time and could make his Super League debut.
St Helen’s head coach Nathan Brown has brought Anthony Walker back into the side, while Adam Swift retains his spot following his double over Wigan.
The match-winner in the derby clash with the Warriors was Joe Greenwood, but he and Luke Thompson both miss out on the trip to France.
Catalan 19-man squad: Pryce, Taia, Bosc, Henderson, Menzies, Mounis, Barthau, Maria, Pelissier, Larroyer, Millard, Simon, Fakir, Paea, Duport, Vaccari, Escaré, Whitehead, Garcia.
St Helens 19-man squad: Wellens, Turner, Meli, Hohaia, Lomax, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Puletua, Wilkin, Manu, Laffranchi, Clough, Jones, Makinson, Walmsley, Swift, Walker, Howarth, O’Brien, Richards.
Prediction: Saints will look to build on their key victory over Wigan with a solid performance against a stuttering Catalan side. Away win.
Stats:
St Helens have won their last four away meetings with Catalan Dragons, last losing on French soil on 15 March, 2008 (24-10).
Saints’ Paul Wellens needs one appearance to become only the second player to reach a total of 400 Super League games. Wellens is 14 games behind all-time appearance leader Keith Senior, with current players Kevin Sinfield and Lee Gilmour next in the standings.
2013 meeting – St Helens 12-22 Catalan (SLR12, 12/4/13)
Super League summary:
Catalan won 7
St Helens won 9
Catalan highest score: 34-32 (A, 2012) (Widest margin: 21-0, H, 2007)
St Helens highest score: 53-10 (H, 2007) (also widest margin)
