Rhinos v Dragons: Teams
Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield will return to the Rhinos' side for their Super League clash with Catalans Dragons.
Last Updated: 19/08/10 4:54pm
Leeds captain Kevin Sinfield will return to the Rhinos side for their Super League clash with Catalans Dragons on Friday.
The loose forward missed last week's 38-6 thrashing of Castleford along with prop Ryan Bailey and hooker Danny Buderus but all three are back in the 19-man squad for the visit of the French club.
However, there has also been some bad injury news for the defending champions following the victory over the Tigers.
Forward duo Jamie Peacock and Luke Burgess suffered season-ending injuries at the Jungle, with the former also ruled out of England's plans for the end-of-season Four Nations series Down Under.
The Rhinos currently lie fifth in the table and will be huge favourites against the league's bottom club, who lost a basement battle with Harlequins last time out.
Although Leeds could be forgiven for having one eye on the Challenge Cup final next Saturday, coach Brian McClennan is confident his side will not be distracted.
No problem
"I think the players certainly answered that question last week at Castleford and I do not expect it to be a problem this week," he told the club's official website.
"As a club, we do not put up smoke screens and we would be lying if we said that Wembley was not in the back of the players' minds.
"However, crucially we have a very strong squad and everyone knows that they need to perform at their best to make sure they are selected for next week."
Les Catalans have also seen their injury list grow in the run-up to the contest at Headingley Carnegie Stadium.
Sebastien Raguin, Gregory Mounis and Michael Simon have joined Jerome Guisset, Jamal Fakir, Jean-Philippe Baile and Sebastien Martins on the sidelines since the game against Quins.
However, they will be buoyed by the return of Australian half-backs Brent Sherwin and Casey McGuire, who were both absent last time out.
Leeds squad: Webb, Donald, Delaney, Senior, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Buderus, Jones-Buchanan, Lauitiiti, Sinfield, Diskin, Eastwood, Bailey, Kirke, Ambler, Clarkson, Smith.
Catalans squad: Greenshields, Bell, Sa, Bosc, Ferriol, McGuire, Elima, Johnson, Barthau, Gossard, Carlaw, Touxagas, K. Bentley, Walker, Casty, Gigot, Stacul, Vaccari, Sherwin.