It’s a bumper day of Super League on Saturday with three matches taking place, with two of last week’s Challenge Cup semi-finalists are in action and the team news is now in.
Hull KR defeated Warrington Wolves last Sunday and both teams are now set for away matches on Saturday evening, the Robins travelling to face Leigh Leopards whilst Sam Burgess’ side head to France to take on Toulouse.
Those matches will kick off at 5:30 pm and 5:00 pm, respectively, but the afternoon slot sees York Knights host Castleford Tigers in a clash of the clubs near the bottom of Super League.
Cas have shipped 50 in each of their last games so they’ll be keen to make amends against a promoted club, whilst the Knights may sense that clash as a good opportunity to register a home win.
The team news across the three matches has now been confirmed with Super League back in full flow.
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Saturday’s Super League team news
York Knights versus Castleford Tigers
Last time out, the Knights could only name an 18-man squad and one of the players from that squad, Ben Littlewood, has been ruled out through injury, however, there was a chance of a number of returnees including spine pair Will Dagger and Toa Mata’afa.
Both men have returned, as well as centre Sam Wood, Kieran Hudson, King Vuniywaya (loan) and Will Roberts (loan), whilst Oli Field (broken finger), Sam Cook and Myles Harrison also drop out through injury.
Ryan Carr makes plenty of changes to his squad as all of Mikaele Ravalawa, Jimmy Beckett and Leeds Rhinos loan Tom Nicholson-Watton drop out.
There are a number of returnees though as George Lawler, Jack Ashworth, George Hirst, and Louis Senior are named, with the latter set to play for the first time this year, Ashton Golding is also named with trio Joe Westerman, Liam Hood and Fletcher Rooney remaining out with long-term injuries.
York Knights 20-man squad: Toa Mata’afa, Sam Wood, Scott Galeano, Ata Hingano, Jack Martin, Paul McShane, Paul Vaughan, Jesse Dee, Denive Balmforth, Xavier Va’a, Justin Sangare, Kieran Hudson, Kieran Buchanan, Jon Bennison, Will Dagger, Matty Foster, King Vuniyayawa, Cody Hunter, Will Roberts, David Nofoaluma
Castleford Tigers 21-man squad: Zac Cini, Darnell McIntosh, Daejarn Asi, Tom Weaver, Renouf Atoni, George Lawler, Jordan Lane, Alex Mellor, Joe Stimson, Brock Greacen, Jack Ashworth, Aiden Doolan, Louis Senior, Jason Qareqare, Krystian Mapapalangi, Sam Hall, Cain Robb, Ashton Golding, George Hirst, Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e, Tyler Dupree
Toulouse Olympique versus Warrington Wolves
Reubenn Rennie, Jake Shorrocks and Lambert Belmas all drop out of the Toulouse squad with Rob Butler, Hugo Garrigues and winger Mathieu Pons being called upon by Sylvain Houles.
Sam Burgess makes just one change to the squad he named for the Challenge Cup semi-finals with forward Luke Thomas dropping out for young outside back Zack Gardner.
Jordy Crowther is named after passing his HIA in the loss to Hull KR but the likes of Cai Taylor-Wray and James Harrison, as well as long-term absentee George Williams, remain out.
Toulouse Olympique 21-man squad: Olly Ashall-Bott, Paul Ulberg, Benjamin Laguerre, Thomas Lacans, Brendan Hands, James Roumanos, Maxime Stefani, Mathieu Jussaume, Anthony Marion, Joe Cator, Joe Bretherton, Rob Butler, Baptiste Rodriguez, AJ Wallace, Ellis Gillam, Henry O’Kane, Luke Polselli, Hugo Garrigues, Mathieu Pons, Cesar Rouge, Tiaki Chan
Warrington Wolves 21-man squad: Josh Thewlis, Toby King, Albert Hopoate, Matty Ashton, Marc Sneyd, Luke Yates Danny Walker, Sam Stone, Ben Currie, Sam Powell, Toff Sipley, Liam Byrne, Jordy Crowther, Ewan Irwin, James Bentley, Joe Philbin, Max Wood, Josh Smith, Zack Gardner, Kelepi Tanginoa, Lachlan Webster
Leigh Leopards versus Hull KR
Winger Keanan Brand, named to Leigh’s last 21-man squad, drops out this week with Adrian Lam confirming a setback for the 27-year-old.
The major boost is that Brand is replaced by Bailey Hodgson with the full-back returning from his knee injury, meaning Lam now faces a choice between Hodgson and Davey Armstrong for the number one shirt.
Hull KR announced on Wednesday that James Batchelor had been stood down by the RFL for 12 days after his head knock against Warrington, so he drops out and is replaced by young half Jack Charles.
Arthur Mourgue is named once again and Willie Peters has the headache of deciding if he plays the Frenchman over Jack Broadbent or if Mourgue makes a return from the bench.
Leigh Leopards 21-man squad: David Armstrong, Tesi Niu, Umyla Hanley, Josh Charnley, Adam Cook, Lachlan Lam, Joe Ofahengaue, Edwin Ipape, Frankie Halton, Owen Trout, Isaac Liu, Jacob Alick-Wiencke, Liam Horne, Bailey Hodgson, Innes Senior, AJ Towse, Gareth O’Brien, Jack Hughes, Louis Brogan, Ryan Brown
Hull KR 21-man squad: Arthur Mourgue, Tom Davies, Peta Hiku, Oliver Gildart, Joe Burgess, Mikey Lewis, Tyrone May, Sauaso Sue, Jez Litten, Tom Amone, Dean Hadley, Elliot Minchella, Jack Broadbent, Sam Luckley, Jai Whitbread, Rhyse Martin, Jack Brown, Karl Lawton, Noah Booth, Bill Leyland, Jack Charles
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