Taking no chances |
Rumours of a weakened Dragons side being deployed at Featherstone in Sunday's Challenge Cup 4th round tie appear to be wide of the mark. Instead, just four of last week's heroes of the last-gasp win over Wigan are stood down and of the new faces in the squad, only one has yet to play Super League. It seems that Mick Potter - whose future should be determined shortly - is taking steps to ensure that last year's finalists don't trip up on a National League banana skin.
Elsewhere, Toulouse travel to Bradford, Pia to Wigan and FC Lézignan to Whitehaven. |
Rested after their exploits last week are Jason Croker, Casey McGuire, Aaron Gorrell and Jamal Fakir, but their replacements are no mugs. There's a return for Vincent Duport while Gorrell's absence will either give Kane Bentley a chance at hooker or Greg Mounis will show his abilities in the role. Andrew comes in as a direct replacement for Croker, Julien Touxagas comes back in and young Florian Quintilla in included in the squad and could make his Dragons debut after a couple of stellar seasons for UTC.
Just over a year ago, the Dragons stuck 70 on Featherstone at the Gilbert Brutus. Changes have been made at Post Office Road since then with Super League experience in the shape of Tom Saxton and Waine Price added to the mix of David Hobbs's side. Five wins and a draw in the Northern Rail Cup was a good start to the year for Rovers, but life has been tougher in National League 1 with defeats to Sheffield, Salford and Halifax, though their two wins have come against fancied opposition, namely Whitehaven and Leigh.
Such a strong squad is a compliment to Featherstone and shows the sort of respect to both the club and the competition. Full-time against part-time normally only results in one outcome and it's difficult to see Featherstone produce an upset here. With the Dragons in red hot form - away as well as at home, which is as unusual as it is extremely pleasing - this ought to result in a straightforward win. Ought to, and will if everyone remains switched on.
DRAGONS: Clinton Greenshields, Justin Murphy, Adam Mogg, Dimitri Pelo, Thomas Bosc, David Ferriol, Jérôme Guisset, Sébastien Raguin, Grégory Mounis, Dane Carlaw, Olivier Elima, Vincent Duport, SuperChan, Kane Bentley, Andrew Bentley, Cyril Stacul, Rémi Casty, Florian Quintilla, Julien Touxagas.
Just as full-time v part-time ought to see the Dragons through, it should see Pia and Toulouse bow out. Lézignan, however, have a real chance up in Cumbria. Aurélien Cologni returns to skipper the side from stand-off, though the prolific Jared Taylor - a potential French international according to sources - faced a late fitness test. Goal kicking may be an issue in the absence of Nicolas Munoz and hat-trick hero from round 3, Jye Mullane, and wingman Olivier Janzac are also out.
Haven aren't as strong as they have been in recent years as they've dropped from full-time to a totally part-time outfit, but still have some useful players, none moreso than evergreen full-back Gary Broadbent. They've a rough, tough pack and are well directed by Kiwi veteran Leroy Joe at half-back and out wide they have two of the quickest players in the National Leagues in the shape of Ade Adebisi and the wing-heeled Craig Calvert. FCL can be susceptible to pace, so shutting down their running chances is key.
The teams:
FC LÉZIGNAN: Aurélien Bourrel/Jared Taylor; Greg Mazard, Cedric Bringuier, Michaud, Fred Marcerou; Aurélien Cologni, James Wynne; Frank Rovira, Cedric Lacans, Chris Beattie; Mickaël Tribillac, David Roméro; Ali Brown. Philippe Laurent, Damien Aussaguel, Yoan Tisseyre, Manu Bansept.
WHITEHAVEN: Gary Broadbent; Craig Calvert, Saia Makisi, Rob Jackson, Ade Adebisi; Leroy Joe, Marc Bainbridge; Ryan McDonald, Graeme Mattinson, Matt Jackson; Howard Hill, Spencer Miller; Carl Rudd. Carl Sice, Karl Edmonson, Scott McAvoy, David Ford.
Toulouse face what could well be their last game of a miserable season on Saturday as they travel to Bradford. Dumped out of the play-offs by St Gaudens on Wednesday, it's tough to ask them to back up so soon afterwards and against a top Super League outfit. Adel Fellous has served his ban and returns, but Trent Clayton doesn't make it - Joris Canton fills in. One bright spot in Toulouse's season - a season where bright spots haven't been so obvious - is the emergence of Hosni Kriouache and he gets a chance to shine on a bigger stage.
Bradford have been doing it tough, but they ought to have enough to dispose of an utterly demoralised Toulouse. They take the opportunity to rest some players and give fringe members of the squad a run; players like Steve Crossley, Dave Halley, Matt James and Iestyn Harris. With class like Glenn Morrison on display though, they should be easy winners.
TOULOUSE: Joris Canton, Sylvain Houles, Julien Roumagnac, Jérôme Goût, Adel Fellous, Laurent Carrasco, Olivier Pramil, Cédric Prizzon, Frédéric Vaccari, Sébastien Planas, David Delpoux, Bruno Ormeno, Hosni Kriouache, Rémy Bueno, Constant Villegas, Clément Roux, Bastien Dintilhac, Nicolas Fauré.
BRADFORD: Sam Burgess, Paul Sykes, Steve Crossley, Glenn Morrison, James Evans, Dave Halley, Michael Platt, Chris Feather, Iestyn Harris, Wayne Godwin, Ben Jeffries, Simon Finnigan, Andy Lynch, Semi Tadulala, David Solomona, Terry Newton, Tame Tupou, Matt James, Jamie Langley.
Pia travel to Wigan without Maxime Grésèque, Craig West or Mitchell Steel. Pia have often been criticised for not taking this competition seriously, but they have little option to field the side they do this weekend. Instead of the usual suspects, names like Magnouat, Djalout, Khedimi and that most evocative name in French RL circles, Crespo, will be to the fore.
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