Catalans Dragons star player Sam Tomkins is set to miss the start of the season with the opening game against Wakefield Trinity looking unlikely per French media.
Following the World Cup the England skipper underwent knee surgery but is yet to return to training and is reported as set to miss at least the season opener according to L’Independant.
The French outlet had previously provided the update that star winger and the French side’s all-time leading try scorer, Fouad Yaha, will miss between four and five months as he’s to undergo surgery at the end of the month.
Catalans are having an unprecedented injury crisis at the moment with another star from the World Cup, Mike McMeeken also still in recovery following surgery on his arm as well as Samoan Tyrone May, who dislocated his hip in the opening game, is another in recovery.
Neither McMeeken or May will feature until April and Yaha not until June as the problems add up for Steve McNamara’s side.
Regarding Tomkins, L’Independant reported: “Fullback Sam Tomkins (33) – who underwent knee arthroscopy this fall – has yet to return to racing. The captain of England should meanwhile miss the start of the Dracs season (at Wakefield on February 17).”
They also added that another veteran playmaker, Mitchell Pearce, is struggling with his adductors before citing that the sole pre-season game against a select French side comprising of players from Elite One will prove vital.
L’Independant added: “With 24 players under professional contract, the Catalans Dragons are helpless four weeks before the opening of the season.
“The game against France B (Elite selection), Saturday February 4 (2:30 p.m.) at Gilbert-Brutus is the common theme of the next two weeks of training. The players continue, with the contribution of the six reservists (Castano, Laurent, Parenti, Scimone, Tison and Zénon), which today allows the Dragons to work on facing their opponents.”
L’Independant did reference the two international quota spots that Catalans have available but referenced that much Super League recruiting has been done and with the NRL having boosted their salary cap, it’s made the option to recruit NRL players harder and ultimately more expensive.
