06 October 2023 , 09:19
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Confident Catalans boss Steve McNamara has declared his side know how to end St Helens’ Super League domination.
The French club are out to make a second Grand Final in three years when they face the reigning champions at Stade Gilbert Brutus. Saints beat them in the 2021 Old Trafford decider and are now pressing for a record-extending fifth title on the trot. Many people wonder whether they’d be able to surpass the miraculous all-conquering Wigan who won seven successive championships from 1990 to 1996 before Super League and the summer era dawned.
Catalans, who have signed New Zealand Warriors second-row Bayley Sironen for next season, have home advantage for Friday’s semi-final after finishing second just ahead of Saints on points difference. They have also won the last three fierce fixtures between the sides to give them plenty of belief they could crack them again - and go on to clinch a maiden Super League title.
Ex-England boss McNamara said: “Wigan were the only full-time professional team back when they did what they did so, in my opinion, what Saints have achieved in the last four years already surpasses that. When you look at the salary cap, everyone else now being full-time and then they win the World Club Challenge in Australia this year, they are a champion team. We played them in the Grand Final two years ago and just ended up on the wrong side of a two-point loss.
“They find a way to win those games most of the time. But three or four years ago we started the process of going to chase these teams down and put ourselves as a club where we can compete yearly. We’re back in the mix this year. And we know what needs to be done to win this game.”
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Catalans beat visiting Hull KR two years ago to reach Old Trafford but suffered a shock home loss to Leeds in the semi 12 months ago. McNamara said: “We’ve had two really different experiences: one we dealt with and one we didn’t. Discipline is king in these games. Not just in terms of penalties but discipline in the way you attack and defend. We’ve done that really well for most of this season.
Catalans coach Steve McNamara (Craig Cresswell/News Images)“With Saints, they know us. We know them. We’ve had some titanic tussles. Some we’ve come out on top in, others we haven’t. Friday will be another game of that nature: we know how tight and close it will be and physical and intense how the other games have been. Both teams seem to relish that. We’re ready.”
If Catalans lose, it will be the last game in the career of distinguished ex-England captain Sam Tomkins and the same goes for legendary St Helens skipper James Roby. But McNamara says emotion won’t disrupt his side. He said: “There’s none from Sam. The last home game there was a bit of a banner when him and Mitchell Pearce ran out in the last regular home game.
"But it’s not even been mentioned at all internally from anyone. From Sam or from anyone. It’s simply not an issue. The focus is not that. We’re a team sport and the team counts.”