St Helens and Catalans Dragons go head-to-head in a top of the table clash at Magic Weekend

The Super League front-runners have taken a win apiece from their previous two meetings this season, and the winner of this match will gain the upper hand towards securing the top spot.

Whilst St Helens may not have been as dominant in the regular season as they have in previous seasons, the Saints are on course for a potential domestic double following their Challenge Cup success back in July.

The Catalans have been somewhat of a surprise package, taking the Super League by storm this year with an impressive 18-2 record. Of course, one of those losses did come against their Magic Weekend opponents, and regular-season form would indicate there is quite a strong chance of these two sides meeting in the Grand Final. 

St Helens will head up to St James’s Park with a fully fit and unchanged 21 man squad following their victory against Warrington Wolves. Head Coach Kristian Woolf is still unable to name Jonny Lomax, who remains on the injury list. Catalans have also named an ever-strong squad as they look to extend their lead at the top of the Super League. 

The French side have shown that they can blow teams out of the water as well as win tight contests this year, putting 48 unanswered points past Wigan Warriors after edging out the Saints in Perpignan in a dramatic early season encounter. The Saints, on the other hand, tend to either pummel their opposition or lose narrowly, with their three losses all coming by a margin of 10 points or less. 

Despite being a dominant force in Rugby League, St Helens have a somewhat poor record at the Magic Weekend events, finding themselves on the losing side in five out of 12 appearances they’ve made at the event. That being said, the Saints are unbeaten at the event since 2016, where they were upset by the Huddersfield Giants. 

Catalans have a similar record at Magic Weekend posting a sub 0.500 win record, but recent performances have improved as they have won their last three matches at the event. 

This match is sure to be a clash of the titans and there is no underestimating the potential implications of the outcome, and how the winner could benefit greatly entering the home stretch. 

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