Leeds Rhinos v Toulouse Olympique: latest Super League team news, milestones and 21-man squads
Leeds Rhinos veteran Kallum Watkins has been hailed as a model professional ahead of his latest milestone this evening (Friday).
With Ash Handley still on the casualty list, Watkins will captain Rhinos when he makes his 350th Betfred Super League appearance in the home game against Toulouse Olympique, streamed live on Sky Sports+ and SuperLeague+. Watkins has featured 263 times in the competition for Leeds, plus 86 appearances with Salford Red Devils.
The 35-year-old played 80 minutes in last Sunday’s 42-12 win against Bradford Bulls and coach Brad Arthur said: “It’s amazing, he keeps chalking off the milestones and there’s no end in sight for him either. He is a credit to himself, the way he is professional and looks after himself.”
Arthur added: “His leadership is first class, probably not so much in terms of what he says, but what he does. He is a real leader with his actions, the way he prepares for a game and how professional he is.
“He is a good example for our young guys and he’s a credit to himself, his family and the club. We are so proud and happy he is with us.”
Hooker Jarrod O’Connor is set to play his 150th career game in today’s fixture, refereed by Tara Jones. His total so far includes 145 for Leeds and two each on loan/dual-registration with Bradford Bulls and Featherstone Rovers.
Leeds are without injured duo winger Maika Sivo (broken arm) and Ben Littlewood (hamstring) from last Sunday’s side. Chris Hankinson will return from concussion in the pack and teenage forward Zac Lloyd is set to make his debut off the bench. “Chris has done a really good job for us in the back-row,” Arthur said of Hankinson.
“He has made a fist of that position now, minimal changes is better for us and Chris also provides an opportunity, if we do get an injury in the outside-backs, to go straight there from the forwards and we just put a forward on. That’s better for our rotation. Alfie [Edgell] did a good job last weekend so he will stay there on the left [wing] and there’s every chance Riley [Lumb] could come in.”
Prop Jeremiah Mata’utia is in Rhinos’ initial 21 after returning from a loan spell at Hull FC. Rhinos have confirmed they won’t be retaining the Australian next year and asked if he could feature before the end of the campaign, Arthur said: “At the moment, I’ll only comment on a week-to-week basis. He is in the squad, but he won’t be in the team.
“He is going to have to keep working hard and see what happens. I don’t know what’s ahead of us in three or four weeks’ time, we might get players back, we might lose more. I am not sure.”
Toulouse are without star full-back Olly Ashall-Bott after he sustained a hamstring injury in last Saturday’s loss to Catalans Dragons. Others to drop out of the 21 are Thomas Lacans (concussion), Brendan Hands (ankle), James Roumanos (broken nose) and Louis Grossemy (concussion). They are replaced by Joe Bretherton, Victor Collin, Paul Marcon, Baptiste Rodriguez and Cesar Rouge.
Leeds Rhinos: from Miller, Newman, Croft, Connor, Oledzki, O’Connor, Holroyd, Watkins, McDonnell, Hankinson, Jenkins, Smith, Mata’utia, Cassell, Edgell, Lumb, N McCormack, Nicholson-Watton, F McCormack, Lloyd, Bird,
Toulouse Olympique: from Ulberg, Marcon, Laguerre, Shorrocks, Belmas, Jussaume, Marion, Cator, Bretherton, Butler, Rodriguez, Tropis, Wallace, O'Kane, Polselli, Garrigues, Rouge, Chan, Quai-Ward, Toleafoa, Collin.
Referee: Tara Jones (St Helens). Kick-off: Friday, 8pm.