'It's an exciting mix' - Steve McNamara says Catalans Dragons won't take new-look Leeds Rhinos lightly

With a Challenge Cup semi-final looming against Wigan Warriors on Saturday, Rhinos will field at least 15 players who did not feature in last week’s win over Hull KR and their intial 21-man squad includes eight potential debutants.

Despite that, McNamara insisted: “It’s not tough to prepare for. What we do know is, looking at their squad, they have got a mix of genuine Super League players, a couple on loan from Featherstone - a top Championship team - and some of the best academy junior players in the country.

“They have progressed through the academy and been waiting for an opportunity.

“It is a really exciting mix and it would have been similar for us if we had beaten Salford in the Cup quarter-final.

“We have a lot of these type of players waiting for an opportunity so we know what to expect to a certain extent, but we need to concentrate on ourselves and keep improving ourselves.”

Catalans are fifth in Betfred Super League, one place behind Rhinos. They hit impressive form last month, but had two games postponed - including at home to Leeds - following a coronavirus outbreak and have lost their last three in league and cup.

“We’ve not quite got going since,” McNamara admitted. “I thought our intent came back last week against Warrington, which I was happy with.

“We know we need to start to string some wins together and to do that we have to consistently play well. We are aiming to do that this week.”

A message from the Editor:

Leeds has a fantastic story to tell - and the Yorkshire Evening Post has been rooted firmly at the heart of telling the stories of our city since 1890. We believe in ourselves and hope you believe in us too. We need your support to help ensure we can continue to be at the heart of life in Leeds. https://www.yorkshireeveningpost.co.uk/news/why-yorkshire-evening-post-needs-your-support-laura-collins-yep-editor-2913382

Subscribe to our website and enjoy unlimited access to local news and information online and on our app. With a digital subscription, you can read more than 5 articles, see fewer ads, enjoy faster load times, and get access to exclusive newsletters and content. Click here to subscribe. For more details on our newspaper subscription offers click here.

Thank you

Laura Collins