Super League Round 18: 2009

[DIEHARD]

Super League Round 18: 2009

Castleford Tigers v Catalans Dragons
Saturday 27th June 2009 - KO.

V

Match Official: I Smith
Venue: The Jungle

Castleford Tigers squad

Owen, Dixon, Shenton, Wainwright, Chase, Sargent, Huby, Ferres, Clayton, Westerman, Jones, Higgins, Feather, Boyle, Netherton, Faumuina, McGoldrick, Widders, Thompson.

Catalans Dragons squad

Baile, Bell, Bosc, Carlaw, Casty, Croker, Elima, Stacul, Ferriol, Gossard, Greenshields, Guisset, McGuire, Mogg, Mounis, Pelo, Perry, Ryles, Touxagas.

Preview

Castleford Tigers could be unchanged having named the same 17 that beat Huddersfield Giants last week plus Jordan Thompson and Chris Feather in their squad. Brent Sherwin (foot), Ryan Hudson (broken arm), James Evans (shoulder) and James Ford (leg) are still out.

Catalans Dragons captain Greg Bird is missing while Jamal Fakir begins a two-game ban for a high tackle. Dimitri Pelo could return after ankle and knee problems and will undertake a fitness test.

Hull Kingston Rovers v Wigan Warriors
Sunday 28th June 2009 - KO.

V

Match Official: T Alibert
Venue: Craven Park

Hull Kingston Rovers squad

Briscoe, Fox, Welham, Webster, ****ayne, Cooke, Dobson, Vella, Fisher, Wheeldon, Newton, Galea, Murrell, Netherton, Fozzard, Walker, I'Anson, Fitzhenry, Lovegrove.

Wigan Warriors squad

Roberts, Carmont, Richards, Smith, Leuluai, Fielden, Riddell, Paleaaesina, Bailey, O'Loughlin, J. Tomkins, Coley, Hansen, McIlorum, Prescott, Phelps, Pryce, Gleeson, S. Tomkins.

Preview

Hull Kingston Rovers are without Liam Colbon (rib) and Stanley Gene (broken wrist) but Daniel Fitzhenry (groin) returns and Rhys Lovegrove (shoulder) could feature in the reserves. Makali Aizue is left out.

Wigan Warriors must pick themselves up after the shock of Gareth Hock's positive drugs test this week. Hock is suspended pending the testing of a B sample. George Carmont, Sean O'Loughlin and Sam Tomkins are all back in contention.

[DIEHARD]

Warrington Wolves v Hull FC
Sunday 28th June 2009 - KO.

V

Match Official: S Ganson
Venue: Halliwell Jones Stadium

Warrington Wolves squad

V. Anderson, L. Anderson, Bridge, Carney, Carvell, Clarke, Cooper, Grix, Harrison, Hicks, Johnson, King, Mathers, Monaghan, Morley, Rauhihi, Riley, Westwood, Wood.

Hull FC squad

Berrigan, Broughton, Burnett, Dowes, Houghton, G. Horne, R. Horne, King, Lee, Manu, Moa, Radford, Raynor, Tony, Thackray, Tickle, Thorman, Whiting, Yeaman.

Preview

Former Wigan Warriors and Hull FC winger Brian Carney is set to make his Warrington Wolves debut after returning to the sport from rugby union. Michael Monaghan should be fit despite suffering a heavy knock against Catalans Dragons but Lee Briers (hamstring) and Mick Higham (bicep) are still out.

Hull FC are likely to name a similar squad to the one that beat Salford Reds after Ewan Dowes and Paul King overcame knocks this week. A sickness bug which affected a number of players has also cleared. Mark Calderwood, Peter Cusack, Tom Briscoe and Danny Washbrook are long-term casualties.

Wakefield Wildcats v Harlequins RL

Sunday 28th June 2009 - KO.

V

Match Official: R Silverwood
Venue: Belle Vue

Wakefield Wildcats squad

Blaymire, Martin, Atkins, Peterson, Rooney, Brough, Demetriou, Drew, Snitch, Wilkes, Grix, Stosic, Bibey, Winternstein, Gleeson, Leo-Latu, Korkidas, Ferguson, Moore.

Harlequins RL squad

Clubb, Gafa, Gale, Gardner, Golden, Haggerty, Heckenberg, Howell, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Melling, O'Callaghan, Orr, Randall, Skee, Temata, Ward, Wells, Williams, Williamson.

Preview

Ryan Atkins, on England duty for Wakefield Wildcats? last game a fortnight ago, is back despite concerns over a shoulder injury and Jason Demetriou is fit after a minor knee operation. Kevin Henderson returns after a spell of compassionate leave.

Harlequins RL linchpin Rob Purdham could be out for six weeks after emergency surgery to remove a blood clot in his wrist. Gareth Haggerty is pushing to return from a knee injury but Luke Dorn and Chad Robinson are still out.

[DIEHARD]

CATALANS EDGE TIGERS IN JUNGLE THRILLER

Catalans Dragons recovered from an early 10-point deficit to keep themselves in the engage Super League play-off picture with a nail-biting 22-20 win at Castleford.

The Tigers got off to a superb start with tries from Brett Ferres and Richard Owen but the Dragons were level by the interval after replies from Dimitri Pelo and Jean-Philippe Baile.

Clint Greenshields and Dane Carlaw then completed the fightback in the second half but Owen's second left Catalans clinging on to a two-point lead.

Castleford left the field feeling aggrieved over a number of decisions by referee Ian Smith.

The Tigers felt two Dragons tries should have been referred to the video referee while Carlaw's clincher came after a controversial penalty.

Castleford had been in control of the game after claiming two tries in the opening seven minutes.

The first came as Steven Bell failed to deal with a high Rangi Chase kick and Ferres pounced on the loose ball.

Bell was then caught out again two minutes later as Owen broke through his and Jason Croker's defences to touch down.

Kirk Dixon, having failed to convert the first try from a similar position on the left, made no mistake with his second effort to extend the lead.

Catalans responded well and went close as Croker spilled an Adam Mogg pass close to the line.

They made no mistake on their next serious attack as Thomas Bosc's long pass found Baile and his offload put Pelo over in the corner, although the crowd felt it was incorrectly grounded.

Bosc added the extras and was then involved in the flowing move moments later that sent Baile in to level the scores.

The Tigers thought they had got back ahead just before the break as Owen slid over out wide but referee Ian Smith, having declined the opportunity when Baile scored, this time sought video confirmation.

Much to the home fans' irritation, Owen was ruled to have lost possession before reaching the line.

Catalans undid some of their good work by conceding two penalties early in the second half which Joe Westerman, with Dixon off the field, calmly slotted between the posts.

The French missed a chance to reply when Olivier Elima knocked on but Shenton was also unable to touch down from a dangerous kick at the other end.

Catalans came back and went ahead for the first time after Greenshields leapt high to claim a Bosc kick and brilliantly score.

Castleford were unhappy that Smith again chose not to refer the play to his colleague to check for offside but Bosc was unconcerned and stepped up to add the conversion.

Smith further upset the hosts when he penalised Castleford for an incorrect play-the-ball and Carlaw claimed Catalans' decisive try from the resulting possession.

Carlaw could not be stopped as he charged over from 10 metres from a Mogg pass.

There was still time for the hosts to set up a tense finish as Owen broke clear down the right with four minutes remaining to score in the corner.

Westerman brilliantly converted from the touchline and a Chase 40-20 kick gave the hosts chance to win.

Craig Huby got within inches but was denied by a brilliant Greenshields tackle and the Dragons held on.

Source: http://www.superleague.co.uk