This high scoring round of matches in the Super League continues on Saturday afternoon when the attention heads from England over to France as the Catalans Dragons take on the only undefeated side left in the competition in Wigan Warriors.
Wigan haven’t already been convincing this term but they are getting the job done but they could face their toughest test of the campaign here against a Catalans Dragons side who knocked off the champions St Helens last weekend.
Catalans Dragons
It has almost gone unnoticed that the Catalans Dragons have only been beaten once this season. I say once they were beaten in the Challenge Cup as well and it was the Warrington Wolves who beat them on both occasions. Aside from that the Dragons are undefeated and their wins over Hull FC and St Helens in their last two matches suggest that they are positioning themselves as title contenders once again after their run to the semi-finals last term.
What is more impressive is that the Dragons haven’t always had their strongest squad out this season. In the past when they have had to go to their French fringe players they haven’t always delivered the goods but they are stepping up to the plate so when you consider that their star players are more than capable at this level there are reasons for the Catalans fans to be excited not just for this match but the season as a whole.
Wigan Warriors
A lot of credit has to go to the Wigan Warriors players. They are dealing with a lot of injuries at the minute and could easily have still been feeling sorry for themselves after the way that Grand Final ended last season, but instead of letting those thoughts take over they have rolled their sleeves up and got on with the job, and their reward for that is an undefeated start to the Super League campaign. A win here would really lay down a market for the remaining three quarters of the season.
In a lot of ways, this has been a typical Wigan Warriors beginning to the season. Their defence has been watertight and they are yet to concede more than 18 points in a single match and the longer that continues the stronger their title hopes will be. They haven’t yet nailed it in attack but you suspect that is down to the injuries and the longer the campaign goes on the better they are going to get in that department.
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Team News
Catalans Dragons will be without Fouad Yaha and Matt Whitley for this match which has meant that Joe Chan, Cesar Rouge and Corentin Le Cam have been called up from the academy side. Sam Tomkins missed the win over St Helens last week but is in the squad for this match.
Wigan Warriors will have to go into battle in France without their full-back Bevan French. He twanged a hamstring in the win over Salford Red Devils last week and joins the likes of Liam Marshall and Oliver Gildart on the sidelines.
Betting
I thought the conditions in France would sway this in the favour of the Catalans Dragons anyway but the injury to Bevan French only further makes me like the home side in this match. I get that Wigan are unbeaten and the fact they have a strong record over the Dragons has me slightly on edge but I’ve never truly been one for historical records I’m more about judging each match on what we have in front of us.
What we have in front of us is a Wigan side who are missing three key parts of their back line and that is clearly having a major say on their attacking strength and against the Dragons in scorching conditions I’m just not convinced the Warriors can rely on their defence to get the job done. Catalans go into this match off the back of a win at Hull FC and a great win over St Helens last week. I think the odds against on them to knock off Wigan is worth taking too.
Tips
WON – Back Catalans Dragons to beat Wigan Warriors for a 3/10 stake at 2.10 with Betfair
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