Catalans Dragons vs Wigan Warriors Prediction: Keighran and the cup kings to deliver in Paris

The Betfred Challenge Cup-winning Wigan Warriors are in Paris this weekend and will have no time to nurse a Wembley hangover when they step into this showpiece Betfred Super League game in the French capital to face the Catalans Dragons (Kick off 7:30pm local, 6:30pm BST, Sky Sports+).

The Warriors were brilliant in outplaying Hull KR against the odds last weekend and will need to be right back on it at Stade Jean-Bouin against a Catalans side who scored half a dozen tries in beating York last time out. Read on for my Catalans Dragons vs Wigan Warriors predictions, Betfred's match odds and all the latest team news.

Catalans Dragons vs Wigan Warriors Odds

The Warriors are big favourites at 4/11, implying a 73.3% probability of an away win, with John Cartwright's Catalans an 11/5 shot. It's 18/1 about the 80-minute draw.

Team News

Wigan need to get straight back on the horse in a unique environment for this one-off fixture in Paris.

I actually think the special nature of this game could help the Warriors in trying to avoid the typical Wembley hangover that can see Challenge Cup winners lose the following week.

There are a few changes to both sides, ones which I feel strengthen the Catalans but weaken Wigan.

Dragons boss Cartwright will slowly be getting to grips with his new squad after moving from Hull FC, and he brings back some familiar faces this week.

Former Grand Final-winning winger Tommy Makinson is restored to the squad, while there are also returns from injury for his ex-St Helens team-mate Lewis Dodds and prop Julian Bousquet.

The men to drop out are Clement Martin, Alexis Lis and Adrian Delarose.

Wigan’s key team news centres around Bevan French for the second successive week.

My feeling was that the brilliant half-back could not possibly have been fit to play at Wembley having been named in the Challenge Cup final squad.

And despite conjuring up a try after his late introduction off the bench, you do wonder if it was worth it. Wigan had the game wrapped up in any case against an off-colour Hull KR, and French is straight back on the sidelines this week to continue his rehabilitation.

Prop Sam Walters was sent off at Wembley and starts his mammoth seven-match ban, while half-back Harry Smith is banned too.

The men to come in for Matt Peet’s side are youngsters Nathan Lowe, George Marsden and George O’Loughlin.

Wigan Warriors by 1-12 @ 9/4

This is probably not the kind of fixture Wigan would want the week after a Challenge Cup final, especially when they are now short of half-backs.

A trip to the Dragons is testing at the best of times, and having another big showpiece game hot on the heels of Wembley will tell us a lot about the mentality of the 2026 Warriors.

So will there be the traditional struggle for the cup winners on their return to league matters?

Despite the absence of Smith and French and a likely youthful half-back pairing, two things make me feel Wigan might be okay. For transparency, if this game was down at the Stade Gilbert Brutus I may be more inclined to back a Warriors defeat.

But the fact that it is a special occasion should ensure Wigan give it the respect it deserves - subconsciously or not.

And secondly, this is where we may actually see the real benefit of Peet’s decision to rest all his first-teamers the week before Wembley. That gamble paid off in the final and should guard against too much of a drop-off a week on.

The Dragons remain impossible to predict but I do expect a marked improvement for the rest of the season under head coach Cartwright, who I felt did a good job in very difficult circumstances at Hull.

Another reason I’m leaning towards sticking with Wigan is that they are one of the few teams to travel well to France. Not only have the Warriors won each of their last four trips to take on Catalans dating back to 2022, they have won them well - three of them by over 30 points.

I don’t expect a rout here, but I’m also not convinced we will see a huge hangover.

A lot will depend on the performance of young Wembley hero Jack Farrimond in the halves, with no Smith or French against Dodd and Toby Sexton.

Having slipped to sixth position, Wigan can’t really afford many more weekends off.

Rugby League Odds

Adam Keighran Anytime Tryscorer @ 7/4

I do like my milestones, and veteran Wigan forward Liam Farrell is only one short of 150 career tries.

That said, he hasn’t looked the most likely tryscorer of late so I feel that accolade may remain pending for a few games. He’s 3/1 to score here if you fancy it.

My pick for Wigan would be goal-kicking centre Adam Keighran against his former club. Keighran scored a Wembley double and has two tries in his last two Super League games too. The Aussie is 7/4 to cross in Paris.

For the Dragons, Sexton (9/2) and full-back Charlie Staines (7/4) have been their most consistent strike threats. Aussie Staines returned for us last time out at York too.