TALKING POINTS: KR vs Catalans
AFTER three consecutive defeats, Hull KR will be looking to clinch the two points today by any means necessary.
Tony Smith is set to welcome back several players but will be without dynamic hooker Matt Parcell, who is unavailable after sustaining a neck injury during last week’s 32-0 defeat to Castleford Tigers.
Here are the key issues Rovers must address if they want to have any chance of winning.
OVERVIEW
The Dragons will come into the game as favourites, with Steve Mcnamara’s men sitting second and coming off a dominant 40-8 victory over Warrington.
The sides met four times in 2021, including the Super League semi-final, where the Dragons reached Old Trafford for the first time as Rovers came up short in Perpignan.
MANAGING THE PACK
The Rovers forward pack has been steamrolled over the past few weeks. Still, the return of Elliot Minchella and Frankie Halton will be a considerable boost, with Catalans possessing one of the most feared packs in the competition.
The Dragons like to bully their opposition forwards and build their platform off the back of a quick ruck caused by the powerful runners of Dudson, Kasiano and Bousquet.
The Robins middles have struggled to match the tempo of their opponents, resulting in an abundance of missed tackles and some poor individual attacking statistics from the Rovers pack something they cannot afford to repeat against a formidable Catalans side.
RESTRICTING THE SPINE
There’s no denying Catalans have class all around the field, and Rovers will have to tighten up their defence against the attacking flair led by Sam Tomkins, Mitchell Pearce and Tyrone May.
Rovers must find a way to break down this Catalans outfit, or it could be another long afternoon. In the three games that the Dragons have lost in the league so far in 2022, each of their opponents has stopped the Catalans spine from playing to their strengths, which has caused Mcnamara’s men to crumble in attack and struggle to create any momentum with ball in hand. It’s something Rovers must capitalise on if the opportunity comes today.
ROVERS MUST GIVE THEMSELVES A CHANCE KR coach Tony Smith admitted his side was low on confidence after the recent dip in form and need to play smarter against an experienced Catalans side.
If the Robins still don’t perform to their best but pick up the two points, so be it, but with the Challenge Cup break on the horizon, they cannot afford to head into the week off on the back of another heavy defeat.