Leeds Rhinos v Catalans Dragons team news as challenge set to returning players & Ash Handley target revealed
Leeds Rhinos coach Brad Arthur has revealed when he hopes to have co-captain Ash Handley back on the field.
The centre has a groin problem and will miss a third successive game when Rhinos play host to Catalans Dragons this evening (Thursday). Arthur said the England squad member “probably” won’t feature in the final fixture of the regular season at Wigan Warriors a week tomorrow, but should be available for the opening round of Betfred Super League play-offs the following weekend.
Max Simpson has recovered from a concussion suffered at Hull FC two weeks ago - when he came in for Handley - and Arthur indicated he will replace Ned McCormack in the left-centre. Ankle and knee injuries had kept him off the field for three years and the coach stated: “Everyone’s got their fingers crossed.
“He has gone 40 minutes [in the reserves], 65 minutes and the next step is 80. The only thing we want to get out of it for him is getting through that 80 minutes. He did a lot of good things against Hull; he got a couple of things wrong, but the only way these young blokes get better is through experience and time on the field.”
McCormack made his own comeback in the 26-0 win at Huddersfield Giants a week ago after a year out with hamstring damage. Arthur added: “He did a really good job, but I don’t think Max did anything wrong to not warrant his second opportunity.”
Prop Cooper Jenkins is set to continue in the team despite aggravating an ankle injury against Giants. “He just jammed it up,” Arthur said. “He’s tough, maybe we shouldn’t have put him back out there for the second stint, but he wanted the match fitness. He has settled really well this week and he will get some increased minutes [today], hopefully.”
Also in the front-row, Keenan Palasia returns after a two game layoff with a knee problem and fellow prop Tom Holroyd is back in the squad following a wrist injury which has kept him out of the last eight. “It’s the right time of the season and it just gives them a couple of games to iron out a bit of rust,” the coach said.
“Keenan should be okay to just slot back in, but Tom has been out for quite a while. He trained really well on Monday and we’re probably not looking for a great deal from him. [The aim is to] get maybe 30 minutes this week and progress it a bit more the following week - get a few carries under his belt, some clean tackles and getting up off the ground. It’s going to be a challenge for him, the first bit, then he’ll be right to go next week.”
Rhinos are without Jake Connor because of a rib injury so Jake Sinfield will take over at scrum-half. Teenage front-rower Presley Cassell drops out after a seven-match run in the team and will play for Rhinos’ academy in their play-off semi-final against St Helens at AMT Headingley on Saturday (4pm).
Catalans coach Joel Tomkins has named a strong squad, despite a series of enforced changes. Tariq Sims, Fouad Yaha, Julian Bousquet, Luke Keary, Tommy Makinson, Tanguy Zénon and Léo Darrélatour return to their 21, replacing the suspended trio of Alrix Da Costa, Franck Maria and Tevita Pangai Jr, plus Matthieu Laguerre, Lenny Marc, Giovanni Descalzi and Leeds-born Denive Balmforth, who has returned to Hull FC following a spell on loan.
Leeds Rhinos: from Miller, Newman, Hall, Croft, Oledzki, Ackers, Palasia, Bentley, McDonnell, O’Connor, Lisone, Gannon, Jenkins, Holroyd, Sinfield, Lumb, Littlewood, McCormack, Simpson, Watkins, Hankinson.
Catalans Dragons: from Makinson, Romano, Smith, Cotric, Keary, Garcia, Bousquet, Sims, Satae, Navarrete, Sironen, Rouge, Seguier, Dezaria, Fages, Yaha, Zenon, Aispuro-Bichet, Martin, Darrélatour, Tison.
Referee: Jack Smith (Wigan). Kick-off: Thursday, 8pm.