Super League preview: Catalans Dragons v St Helens
Catalan Dragons will be minus banned duo Julian Bousquet and Remi Casty for Saturday's home clash with St Helens.
Last Updated: 03/08/13 5:01pm
Just one point separates the sides as fifth-place Dragons host the Saints who sit two places below in the overall standings.
Dragons head coach Laurent Frayssinous enters the clash without Scott Dureau, Brent Webb, Olivier Elima, Louis Anderson and Jason Baitieri, who all continue their recovery from injury.
Suspensions to Julian Bousquet and captain Remi Casty, who was handed a one match ban after being found guilty of punching against Salford City Reds mean Frayssinous has been forced into a number of changes.
Frayssinous welcomes back Mickael Simon, Jamal Fakir and former Saints star Leon Pryce as his side look to assert pressure on the top three.
Changes
New addition Benjamin Garcia, who joined the Dragons from Brisbane Broncos last month, also earns a first call-up to the 19-man squad and could make his Super League debut at the Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Meanwhile, Saints coach Nathan Brown has made just two changes to the squad which beat Wigan Warriors 22-16 last time out.
Prop Anthony Walker makes a welcome return to the match-day squad with Luke Thompson missing out.
Fellow forward Joe Greenwood also drops out as utility man Adam Swift joins the travelling party for Saturday's evening fixture.
Saints enter the clash with back-to-back wins and victory in France would see Brown's men leapfrog the Dragons as they continue their pursuit up the Super League standings.
Dragons: Pryce, Taia, Bosc, Henderson, Menzies, Mounis, Barthau, Maria, Pelissier, Larroyer, Millard, Simon, Fakir, Paea, Duport, Vaccari, Escare, Whitehead, Garcia.
Saints: Wellens, Turner, Meli, Hohaia, Lomax, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Puletua, Wilkin, Manu, Laffranchi, Clough, Jones, Makinson, Walmsley, Swift, Walker, Howarth, O'Brien, Richards.