Preview: Hull KR vs Catalans Dragons - prediction, team news, lineups

Newly-crowned Challenge Cup champions Hull KR return to Super League action this Friday night when they take on a deflated Catalans Dragons side.

While the Robins were busy winning their first major trophy in 40 years, the Dragons have been busy plotting their comeback after three consecutive defeats to nil.

Match preview

Mikey Lewis stole the headlines last weekend as his late conversion clinched Hull KR’s first major trophy since 1985.

The pulsating 8-6 win over Warrington Wolves at Wembley was the club’s eighth straight win across all competitions – a run which has also seen the Robins climb to the top of the Super League table.

The big worry for the club will be overcoming the infamous Challenge Cup hangover; while it may sound like a fanciful complex, there is real evidence to prove that a dip in form after Wembley is quite common.

Last year, for instance, Wigan Warriors backed up their cup win with a narrow 10-8 success against an out-of-form Castleford Tigers side. The year before that, Leigh Leopards suffered back-to-back defeats after their Wembley heroics, and five years ago, Leeds Rhinos were thumped 40-8 by St Helens just days after lifting the cup.

Putting all of that to one side, the Robins will certainly fancy their chances against a flummoxed Catalans Dragons side.

The Perpignan club are not only on a five-match losing run, but they have also failed to score a single point in their last three outings.

If that was not enough to worry about, the club also lost head coach Steve McNamara last month after he left the club following eight years in charge.

Joel Tomkins has taken over in the interim, but his first two games certainly did not go to plan as the Dragons were thumped 48-0 by Wigan and 34-0 by Hull FC – both at home.

Catalans lost their last two head-to-head meetings against Hull KR, including the Challenge Cup semi-final last month which saw the English side run riot in the second half.

The Dragons are just four points adrift of the playoffs, meaning the season can still be salvaged with a string of positive results. However, with the team experiencing their biggest slump in years, even a single try would mark a step in the right direction.

Hull KR form:  WWWWW

Castleford form: LLLLL

Team News

Robins head coach Willie Peters has been forced to make changes ahead of Friday’s Super League clash with the Dragons.

Micky McIlorum is on the sidelines as the hooker continues his rehab, while Jared Waerea-Hargreaves also joins the injury list with a calf issue - according to Peters, the Kiwi will be out for around four weeks.

Joe Burgess is nearing a return and could return as early as next week. Noah Booth is likely to take his place, while Bill Leyland and Eribe Doro are likely to cover for McIlorum and Waerea-Hargreaves.

Catalans boss Tomkins will be hoping to capitalise on the Challenge Cup hangover with a number of big players making their returns.

The experienced Sam Tomkins will give the Dragons a major boost, while the likes of Tevita Pangai Jr, Julian Bousquet, Tariq Sims, Bayley Sironen and Leo Darrelatour have also been named in the 21-man squad.

Hull KR predicted lineup: Mourgue, Davies, Hiku, Broadbent, Booth, Lewis, May, Sue, Litten, Whitbread, Hadley, Batchelor, Doro; Layland, Tanginoa, Brown, Mini

Catalans Dragons predicted lineup: Tomkins, Makinson, Cotric, Romano, Smith, Keary, Fages, Pangai Jr, Satae, Da Costa, Garcia, Sims, Partington; Bousquet, Navarrete, Sironen, Rouge

We say: Hull KR 24-12 Catalans Dragons

Going four games without scoring a point would be truly unprecedented. With that in mind, we are backing Catalans to get on the scoresheet, especially with a number of key players returning to the team.

Nevertheless, we are still siding with the Challenge Cup winners to get the win and continue their impressive run of form.

Written by
Barney Corkhill

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