Sky Live: Catalans Dragons v Castleford Tigers Super League preview
Watch on Sky Sports Action on Saturday from 4.55pm
Last Updated: 01/07/18 1:31pm
Catalans Dragons will be hoping to boost their survival hopes when they take on Super League high-flyers Castleford on Saturday, live on Sky Sports Action.
Dragons are battling to escape the bottom four and the prospect of contesting the nail-biting qualifiers with the best of the Championship in order to preserve their Super League status.
They boosted their survival hopes with a 28-25 victory over Leeds last time out - their second victory over the defending Super League champions in a few weeks.
They have lost just one of their last seven games in all competitions and that was a narrow 26-25 defeat to Huddersfield. That impressive run of form has also set up a Challenge Cup semi-final date with St Helens in August.
Dragons head coach Steve McNamara recalled Mickael Goudemand to his squad for the clash at the Stade Gilbert Brutus, while the suspended Sam Moa and injured Antoni Maria and Jodie Broughton will miss the game.
Castleford will be looking to build on their heroics against Wigan last time out when Jamie Ellis slotted over a last-minute drop goal to give his side a dramatic 19-18 victory that extended the Tigers' unbeaten run to four games.
Head coach Daryl Powell has made four changes to his 19-man squad with Liam Watts, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Oliver Holmes and Adam Milner returning to the selection mix and Jy Hitchcox, James Green, Will Maher and Joe Wardle missing out.
Powell is braced for a tough challenge despite a thumping 41-0 victory when the two sides met at the Mend-A-Hose Jungle stadium back in April.
"Catalans are generally a better team when they play at home. They are a physical challenge; their pack is big, and they have some really experienced players in their team," he said.
"They are playing with confidence and winning games at the moment and they will see Saturday as an opportunity to push themselves up the ladder before the Super 8's split so we will be ready for a real tough challenge."
Catalans Dragons squad: David Mead, Brayden Wiliame, Fouad Yaha, Samisoni Langi, Remi Casty, Louis Anderson, Benjamin Garcia, Greg Bird, Julian Bousquet, Mickael Simon, Vincent Duport, Jason Baitieri, Michael McIlorum, Lewis Tierney, Benjamin Jullien, Tony Gigot, Mickael Goudemand, Josh Drinkwater, Kenny Edwards
Castleford Tigers squad: James Clare, Mitch Clark, Matt Cook, Tuoyo Egodo, Jamie Ellis, Kieran Gill, Oliver Holmes, Quentin Laulu-Togaga'e, Nathan Massey, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Junior Moors, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Michael Shenton, Gadwin Springer, Jake Trueman, Liam Watts, Jake Webster