Catalans Dragons vs Leeds Rhinos: Kick-off time, TV channel and predicted line-ups

Catalans Dragons and Leeds Rhinos have a long history when it comes to play-off rugby. A history filled with dramatic twists and turns, superb stories and rememberable rugby though their battles are not the ones most commonly contemplated by fans and pundits when it comes to reminiscing about the play-offs – the most wonderful time of the year for Super League fans.

Their play-off history goes back to 2009 when the Rhinos selected the Dragons in the controversial club call. Leeds subsequently secured their Old Trafford spot with a 27-20 win over the French side on their way to a threepeat. That score line would emerge again in 2012 when Leeds arrived in France to topple the fourth place Dragons on route to another Grand Final appearance. However, Catalans would gain a measure of revenge with a week one win over Leeds at Headingley – their first ever at the ground – to end Leeds’ 2014 title bid before they met most recently in 2020 where Catalans again downed the Rhinos.

That was the second fourth v fifth play-off clash between the two after their 2012 meeting and today’s game will be the third time they’ve met with Catalans as the favourites in fourth and Leeds as dangerous underdogs in fifth. Both sides will fancy their chances at returning to the Theatre of Dreams but the saga around Rhyse Martin’s ban has certainly added to the story. But the question remains: which side will continue on the road to Old Trafford and who will begin planning for 2023 early than hoped?

Kick-off time and TV channel

The game kicks off at 20:00 UK time.

TV coverage starts on Sky Sports Arena from 19:30.

Predicted Line-ups

Catalans Dragons
After a season where Catalans have played mix and match with their line-up, their team should start to look like what we all expected at the start of the season with more than an echo of the side who reached the Grand Final 12 months ago. 13 of the side who starred at Old Trafford are in line to feature with Steve McNamara set to bring Mike McMeeken back into the fold. He has a big call to make on Josh Drinkwater too and whether he should start ahead of Tyrone May who figured in the halves when the Dragons beat Leeds on Bank Holiday Monday. He could be the only man to feature who also played against Wigan as McNamara rested much of his side.

29 Sam Tomkins
2 Tom Davies
4 Dean Whare
3 Samisoni Langi
5 Fouad Yaha
6 Mitchell Pearce
7 Josh Drinkwater
8 Gil Dudson
9 Michael McIlorum
17 Mickael Goudemand
12 Mike McMeekens
27 Joe Chan
13 Ben Garcia
Substitutes
1 Arthur Mourgue
20 Tyrone May
22 Dylan Napa
28 Sam Kasiano

Leeds Rhinos
Whilst Catalans finally seem to be getting out of the mix and matched teams, Leeds will continue to have to chop and change after losing Ash Handley to injury last week and Rhyse Martin to a controversial ban. Brad Dwyer should be fit to play after a knee injury last week. As for replacing Handley, Liam Tindall will come onto the wing unless Harry Newman is ready to return – which seems unlikely – but otherwise Zak Hardaker will remain at centre despite a terrific contribution on the wing last week as he took over from Handley. Martin could have enabled Hardaker to play on the wing this week but his ban ensures that this is not a possibility. Morgan Gannon will undoubtedly replace Martin in the backrow with the subsequent vacant bench spot either going to youngster Sam Walters of the returning James Donaldson.

16 Richie Myler
20 Tom Briscoe
33 Zak Hardaker
4 Liam Sutcliffe
29 Liam Tindall
6 Blake Austin
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Mikolaj Oledzki
9 Kruise Leeming
10 Matt Prior
11 James Bentley
21 Morgan Gannon
13 Zane Tetevano
Substitutes
14 Brad Dwyer
17 Cameron Smith
24 Jarrod O’Connor
25 James Donaldson