Castleford Tigers: Back to reality for Cas after week in sun with a test against St Helens

Tigers’ senior squad returned on Thursday from a warm weather training camp in Lanzarote and boss Daryl Powell is buzzing at the prospect of them putting all their hard work into practice.

Tigers begin their Betfred Super League season at home to promoted Leigh Centurions in 13 days’ time and Powell described tomorrow’s full-scale hit-out as “perfect” preparation.

“It’s a really good challenge, against one of the top teams,” he said. “It will really tell us where we are leading into the season.

“We’ve got to a point where that’s what we are after, we want to go up against the top teams. Saints are regularly in the top-four and this is a chance to go and have a shot at them.

“We’ve not been fantastic over there, so that adds to the challenge.”

Of the training camp, he said: “It was awesome. It’s a great spot – the training facilities are great, the place has got a really good feel about it and I’m delighted with the way it went.”

Castleford Tigers (at St Helens): from Chase, Cook, Eden, Gale, Hardaker, Lynch, Massey, McMeeken, McShane, Milner, Millington, Minikin, Moors, Monaghan, Roberts, Sene-Lefao, Shenton, Springer, Webster.

Referee: James Child (Batley).

Kick-off: Tomorrow, 3pm.