St Helens v Hull FC: Predicted line-ups and late injury news

A week before they do battle in the Challenge Cup semi-final, St Helens host Hull FC. The Saints come into the game on the back of their first defeat of the season. However, it doesn’t get any easier for the Champions. They face a Hull team enjoying a good start to life under new coach Brett Hodgson and could very well inflict further misery onto the Saints.

Making things harder for the Champions is the absence of in-form Regan Grace. His head injury means that they’ll be without both of their first choice wingers so youngster Josh Simm will most likely come into the team. Apart from that the Saints could remain almost unchanged although Kritsian Woolf may look to change things around following defeat to Catalans last week.

For Hull FC, it’s mainly good news. Their struggle for fit prop forwards – which saw them include a winger on the bench last week – may finally be coming to an end as Josh Bowden returns to the squad. His return is likely to be one of the few changes Hull FC make following victory over Leeds last week.

St Helens
1 Lachlan Coote
3 Kevin Naiqama
4 Mark Percival
18 Jack Welsby
22 Josh Simm
6 Jonny Lomax
7 Theo Fages
8 Alex Walmsley
9 James Roby
15 Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
11 Joel Thompson
14 Sione Mata’utia
13 Morgan Knowles
Substitutes
16 Kyle Amor
17 Agnatius Paasi
20 Joe Batchelor
21 Lewis Dodd

Hull FC
1 Jake Connor
5 Mahe Fonua
3 Carlos Tuimavave
4 Josh Griffin
21 Adam Swift
6 Josh Reynolds
7 Marc Sneyd
10 Chris Satae
9 Danny Houghton
13 Ligi Sao
11 Andre Savelio
12 Manu Ma’u
15 Joe Cator
Substitutes
14 Jordan Johnstone
16 Jordan Lane
17 Brad Fash
22 Josh Bowden