Sunday's Super League previews: Leeds vs Catalans Dragons and Castleford vs London Broncos team news
Friday 28 June 2019 16:50, UK
Super League team news for Sunday's two games as Leeds Rhinos host Catalans Dragons and Castleford Tigers take on London Broncos.
Leeds Rhinos vs Catalans Dragons (3pm)
Richard Agar believes Robert Lui has fitted right in at Leeds Rhinos ahead of his debut for the club in Sunday's home Super League clash with Catalans Dragons.
Half-back Lui made the switch to the Rhinos earlier this week from Salford Red Devils, with Tonga international Tui Lolohea moving in the opposite direction.
The 29-year-old has impressed Agar with how quickly he has slotted into the squad at training and Leeds' interim head coach expects him to have an immediate impact when they face the Catalans.
"A lot of principles and style of play are very similar between sides, and the way Robert has slotted in, he's immediately talking and striking up combinations with our other players in the spine," Agar said.
"He'll certainly give the whole team a boost this week organisation-wise.
"Robert is a different style of half-back to Tui and probably more of the style of half-back which will help our team where it is at this moment in time."
Shaun Lunt is in line for his Rhinos bow too after the hooker rejoined the club from Hull Kingston Rovers, with Matt Parcell moving in the opposite direction.
Trent Merrin will skipper the side too, taking over the role following Kallum Watkins' departure to NRL side Gold Coast Titans.
The Dragons injury situation continues to improve with the respective returns of Lucas Albert and Arthur Romano. However, head coach Steve McNamara is still without seven frontline players.
Catalans are aiming to end a run of three straight losses and head to Headingley having won the previous meeting between the sides this season in Perpignan when they triumphed 26-22.
Leeds Rhinos 19-man squad: Jack Walker, Tom Briscoe, Konrad Hurrell, Ash Handley, Richie Myler, Adam Cuthbertson, Brad Singleton, Trent Merrin, Brad Dwyer, Liam Sutcliffe, Brett Ferres, Mikolaj Oledzki, Cameron Smith, James Donaldson, Harry Newman, Wellington Albert, Ava Seumanufagai, Shaun Lunt, Robert Lui.
Catalans Dragons 19-man squad: Jodie Broughton, David Mead, Brayden Wiliame, Samisoni Langi, Matty Smith, Remi Casty, Sam Moa, Benjamin Garcia, Julian Bousquet, Mickael Simon, Benjamin Julien, Alrix Da Costa, Mickael Goudemand, Lucas Albert, Antoni Maria, Arthur Romano, Fouad Yaha, Sam Kasiano, Sam Tomkins
Castleford Tigers vs London Broncos (3.30pm)
Daryl Powell expects the challenge for Castleford Tigers to come from within when they host a resurgent London Broncos on Sunday.
The Broncos come into the match on the back of four wins in their last five matches and three straight victories, while the Tigers are aiming to revitalise their push for a top-five place in Super League following back-to-back defeats.
Powell praised the work being done at the Broncos by opposite number Danny Ward, who he coached as a player when in charge at Leeds Rhinos, and knows Castleford must keep their confidence up if they are to repeat the 40-6 win in Ealing earlier this year.
"It's an interesting challenge for me from within, what we're faced with," Powell said. "London are a good side, they're playing really well and Danny has done a great job there.
"For me, the challenge is keeping us where we need to be because you can easily dip down on a bad run of form and it can implode from within.
"That's a coaching challenge from within itself, and that means everybody keep positive and staying on it."
The Tigers go into the match without Junior Moors after he fractured his hip in last weekend's defeat away to Salford Red Devils, while Greg Eden is ruled out with a calf injury too.
That means academy products Will Maher and Tuoyo Egodo come into Powell's 19-man squad for the visit of the Broncos.
For the away side, Ward makes just one change to his 19-man squad from the team which won at home to Hull Kingston Rovers last week, with Will Lovell replacing Nathan Mason.
Castleford Tigers 19-man squad: Cory Aston, Cheyse Blair, James Clare, Chris Clarkson, Matt Cook, Tuoyo Egodo, Will Maher, Nathan Massey, Peter Mata'utia, Mike McMeeken, Paul McShane, Grant Millington, Adam Milner, Greg Minikin, Jordan Rankin, Jesse Sene-Lefao, Daniel Smith, Jake Trueman, Liam Watts
London Broncos 19-man squad: Jordan Abdull, Eddie Battye, Robert Butler, James Cunningham, Kieran Dixon, Matty Fozard, Matt Gee, Ben Hellewell, Mark Ioane, Elliot Kear, Olsi Krasniqi, Will Lovell, Ryan Morgan, Jay Pitts, Greg Richards, Morgan Smith, Alex Walker, Rhys Williams, Luke Yates
