SAINTS head up to Newcastle’s St James’ Park today to face top of the table Catalans Dragons at Dacia Magic Weekend (5.15pm kick off).

It will be a titanic contest between the leaders and the back-to-back Super League champions and is the second game on the opening day of this festival of rugby league.

There are only three rounds of the regular season remaining so Saints will need to win to keep alive any hopes of taking the League Leaders Shield.

It will be the third time the sides have met this year and although Saints triumphed 34-12 against depleted Catalans side at Totally Wicked Stadium last month, they face a much tougher proposition at Magic.

Dragons are one of only three teams to have beaten Saints this season.

21 MAN SQUADS.

SAINTS 21: 1. Lachlan Coote, 2. Tommy Makinson, 3. Kevin Naiqama, 4. Mark Percival, 5, Regan Grace, 8. Alex Walmsley, 9. James Roby, 10. Matty Lees, 11. Joel Thompson, 12. James Bentley, 13, Morgan Knowles, 14. Sione Mata’utia, 15. LMS, 16. Kyle Amor, 17, Agnatius Paasi, 18. Jack Welsby, 19, Aaron Smith, 20, Joe Batchelor, 21. Lewis Dodd, 23, Jake Wingfield, 29. Ben Davies.

Catalans: 1 Arthur Mourgue, 2 Tom Davies, 3 Samisoni Langi, 4, Dean Whare, 5 Fouad Yaha, 6. James Maloney, 7 Josh Drinkwater, 8. Gil Dudson, 9. Micky McIlorum, 10, Julian Bousquet, 11 Matt Whiteley, 12.R Mike McMeeken, 17 Mickael Goudemand, 20 Mattihieu Laguerrem, 22. Joel Tomkins, 23. Mathieu Cozza, 27, Joe Chan, 28. Sam Kasiano, 29. Sam Tomkins, 30. Jordan Dezaria, 31. Cesar Rouge.

LAST TEN MEETINGS.

 St Helens 34, Catalans Dragons 12 (SLR18, 7/8/21).

Catalans Dragons 20, St Helens 16 (SLR7, 22/5/21).

St Helens 48, Catalans Dragons 2 (SLSF, 20/11/20).

St Helens 34, Catalans Dragons 6 (SLR4, 2/8/20) (at Emerald Headingley, Leeds).

St Helens 50, Catalans Dragons 14 (SLR13, 28/4/19).

Catalans Dragons 18, St Helens 10 (SLR9, 6/4/19).

Catalans Dragons 22, St Helens 26 (SLS8-R4, 8/9/18).

Catalans Dragons 35, St Helens 16 (CCSF, 5/8/18) (at University of Bolton Stadium).

St Helens 26, Catalans Dragons 12 (SLR14, 3/5/18).

Catalans Dragons 12, St Helens 21 (SLR2, 10/2/18).

OFFICIALS: Liam Moore is referee, James Child is the video referee.

COLOURS: Saints will be playing in the special edition Magic Weekend kit. Before kick off, the players will also wear another specially designed shirt which will raise money for St Helens Autism Support.

MAGIC FIXTURES.

Saturday.

3pm. Castleford v Salford.

5.15pm Saints v Catalans.

7.30pm Leeds v Hull FC.

Sunday.

1pm Huddersfield v Wakefield 

3.15 pm Wigan v Warrington

5.30pm Leigh v Hull KR.