For a club like Featherstone, with their ambition and squad, this is the ideal cup draw.
The Rovers, unbeaten and top of the Championship with a star-studded squad, are on the road to Super League and travel over to the home of the 2021 League Leaders’ Shield winners and Grand Finalists, Catalans hoping to test themselves against the best.
As for the Dragons, their recent rise began with winning the Challenge Cup in 2018 and in 2022 they will be hoping to reclaim the trophy as they cement themselves as one of the major forces in Super League.
Team News:
The Dragons are without the suspended Mitchell Pearce who, like Jordan Dezaria, has been hit with a ban. The likes of Julian Bousquet and Arthur Mourgue are still absent through injury and are joined by Dean Whare who is set for months on the sidelines after a chest injury. The likes of Samisoni Langi and Michael McIlorum have been left out of the 21-man. The focus is certainly going to be on youngsters with the likes of Matthieu Laguerre and Cesar Rouge set to feature.
Featherstone have all of the 17 who drew with Batley last week available for this fixture but also have Joey Leilua set to return after an injury hit start to life at Post Office Road. Two-time Challenge Cup winner Adam Cuthbertson is set to feature as is new signing Ryley Jacks.
Match Preview – Key Battles:
Matthieu Laguerre vs Craig Hall: Perhaps the Championship’s best player, certainly based on the last 15 months or so, might have expected to come up against the likes of Dean Whare or Samisoni Langi in this fixture. But with neither available he’ll either come up against young Matthieu Laguerre or Arthur Romano who continues to impress after a long injury lay off. Both are set to feature at centre and the one who comes up against Hall will have to be at their best to manage his threat.
Josh Drinkwater vs Dane Chisholm: Dane Chisholm was very nearly the hero in last week’s draw with Batley with his late drop goal pulling just wide. A dangerous player, he’ll be up against one of Super League’s most underrated halves in Josh Drinkwater who continually dismantles teams with attacking kicks.
Cesar Rouge vs Ryley Jacks: With Mitchell Pearce suspended, young Cesar Rouge will be asked to come into the halves and is faced with the exciting task of taking on former NRL star Ryley Jacks who in turn will be hoping to shine as he introduces himself to rugby league on this side of the planet.
Where the game will be won and lost:
Catalans pack is good enough to bully most Super League sides, so it’s clear that the Fev big men are going to have to step up and limit the Dragons’ progress down the middle of the field. With the quality Fev have in their side, they can cause Catalans problems especially with the ball. So limiting the Dragons and making the French side work for everything they get will be key to any success the Rovers wish to achieve in the south of France.
Score Prediction:Â Catalans Dragons 32-12 Featherstone Rovers
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