Leeds Rhinos' French star Mickael Goudemand makes 'play anywhere' vow for 'tough battle' v Catalans Dragons

Goudemand has played in Rhinos’ opening two Betfred Super League fixtures, starting in the second-row against Salford Red Devils and - alongside Justin Sangare - being part of Super League’s first all-French prop pairing at Hull KR last week. With two front-rowers suspended and another on the casualty list, Leeds will need him for the same duty, either starting or off the bench, when Catalans visit AMT Headingley on Saturday.

At 1.75 metres (5ft 9ins) tall and weighing 98kg (15st 6lb) he is small for modern-day Super League front-rower, but insisted he’s happy to play there if required. “I enjoyed it,” he said of last week’s experience.

“As long as I play and I play well I am happy. We didn’t have the win and I didn’t come on in the second half so I am a bit sad for everyone, but second-row, prop, I just want to play.”

Though Rhinos have had a mixed start to the campaign, Goudemand is confident there’s much more to come from what is a new-look side. He said: “When we watched the Salford game I thought we can do better and better. We did it a bit at training and also last week, but last week it was hard with the grass and the weather. We need to prove what we can do on Saturday.”

Personal French connections make the round three showdown even bigger for Goudemand, who played 99 times during six campaigns with Catalans before moving to Leeds in pre-season to begin a two-year contract. “It is going to be a big game,” he said of facing his old club.

“When the calendar appeared I just wanted to see when I would play against my old team so I am very excited. It has come at the start of the season and I think it is good for us, we need a big game at home. If we can get a win after the Hull KR loss it will be good for us.”

Catalans have kicked off with back-to-back victories, beating Warrington Wolves in Perpignan and keeping London Broncos scoreless in the English capital last week. Goudemand watched both games and said: “They played very well against Warrington and they had a sending-off [Michael McIlorum]. They also played very well against London so it is going to be a tough game. I know what they want to do, they want to win the Grand Final, like us, so it is going to be a good battle.”

Catalans are now established as a force in Super League, having reached two of the last three title deciders and topped the table in 2021, as well as finishing second last year. That near-miss will have made them more determined, Goudemand reckons.

He said: “Like us, if they are going to achieve what they want to, they have to win away games. Everyone wants to be the best team in the competition. I still have a lot of friends there, a lot of their players come from where I come from so we are still close to each other. I don’t want to say there is no friends [on the field], but you just try to win for your team.”

Goudemand was a Challenge Cup winner with Catalans in 2018 and a Grand Final runner-up three years later. He made 17 appearances last term, just one of those in the starting side, but did not feature in the Old Trafford defeat by Wigan Warriors.

A long-term Leeds fan, he was keen to experience life at a big English club, having had a previous spell in this country with Championship outfit Dewsbury Rams. So far, the move has lived up to his expectations.

Unlike players from the southern hemisphere, Goudemand has had to deal with a language barrier, but he speaks excellent England and insisted: “I am enjoying it, it is a different lifestyle, different club, different weather, but I am feeling very good and now I just want to keep going and be better game to game.

“The first month in England was hard; when we came back from Christmas with my family in France it was hard for me and my partner, but now we are feeling good. She has started working and every day we have off we go for a walk in the city. We have Justin Sangare near by and all the boys are very welcoming with me and my girlfriend.”