Thursday's Super League predictions and rugby league tips: Dragons on song

Free rugby league tips, best bets and analysis for Thursday's Betfred Super League matches.

Where to watch

Catalans Dragons v Toulouse Olimpique
Sky Sports Arena, 7.30pm Thursday

Best bet

Catalans to win by 11 to 20 points
1pt 11-4 bet365

Huddersfield
8pm Thursday
1pt 21-20 Betfred

Preview

Derbies are back on the menu for the first round of the Betfred Super League's traditional Easter double-header after lockdown restrictions saw the local rivalries moved to August last season.

Super League officials took the decision to move the matches due to government limits on crowd sizes, but fans are now firmly back in the stands and they should be treated to some entertaining rugby league.

A first all-French Super League clash between Catalans and Toulouse is Thursday's sole televised encounter and you can be sure that underdogs Olympique will be revved up for the occasion.

A remarkable success over champions St Helens aside, Toulouse have generally found life tough in their debut Super League campaign. They have conceded an average of 30 points per game and scored 15, which hints at the best way into this match for bettors.

Bookmakers have set an 18-point handicap line but better value may be garnered by taking the Dragons, who are likely to be smarting after a home hiding at the hands of Saints in the Challenge Cup last weekend, to win by 11 to 20 points.

Toulouse's inferior points difference is the only thing from keeping Leeds off the foot of the table but, make no mistake about it, the Rhinos are at rock-bottom right now.

One win in seven Super League outings and just 90 points scored paints a stark picture for the Headingley club, who had title ambitions entering the campaign after overhauling their squad in the off-season.

Their struggles are comparative to the ones endured by Huddersfield last term after they reshaped their roster. The Giants failed to fire for much of 2021 but have got their act together this season and travel across Yorkshire in buoyant mood having reached the last four of the Challenge Cup last weekend.

Third-placed Huddersfield have scored more than double the amount of points Leeds that have this season and that difference in attacking fluency could prove decisive.

Elsewhere, Warrington will be hoping to snap a five-game losing run at home to Salford and Wakefield look to have a glimmer of hope of ending Castleford's derby streak of 16 wins in a row with the Tigers in poor form.

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