Catalans Dragons secured a comfortable 44-10 win against Wakefield Trinity at Stade Gilbert Brutus, winning their first game in Super League, in Perpignan, since Easter Monday. The result moves Catalans’ into fifth and consigns Wakefield to a sixth defeat in seven league games who stay eighth. Here’s how the action unfolded.
MATCH DETAILS
A fine hat-trick from Jodie Broughton and two tries from Tony Gigot helped Catalans’ end their four-match losing run in Super League to move up to fifth in the table with a comfortable win against Wakefield at a sweltering Stade Gilbert Brutus.
Broughton scored his first Super League try of the season, in just his second appearance in 2019, to open the scoring before Matt Whitley crashed over to ease the French side into a 10-point lead inside 20 minutes.
A blistering 70-metre break from David Mead set-up Samisoni Langi for a try underneath the posts before Wakefield responded with a try from centre Reece Lyne.
Broughton then scored his second try of the match, just staying in the field of play, to send Catalans into a 20-6 lead at the interval.
The winger picked up where he left off early in the second-half, completing his hat-trick after Trinity failed to deal with Sam Tomkins tantalising kick.
Having set-up an earlier try with a no-look pass, Gigot provided another no-look assist, this time for Brayden Wiliame to effectively put the game to bed.
Two excellent tries from Gigot added some gloss to the scoreline before Bill Tupou added a late consolation for Wakefield.
The win moves the Dragons back into Super League’s top five, keeping their play-off hopes well and truly alive. Defeat for Wakefield, their sixth in seven league matches, keeps them in eighth.
There was a minutes applause, prior to kick-off in Perpignan, for former France international Élie Brousse who sadly passed away earlier this week at the age of 97.
Catalans were quick out of the blocks with Broughton opening his Super League account for 2019 when he finished off a well-worked move out of the back of the scrum in the corner on 11 minutes.
Six minutes later, Catalans were celebrating another try after Matt Whitley broke the line following a superb short, no-look, pass from Tony Gigot to go over for his fifth try of the season.
A 70-metre dash up-field, out of dummy-half, from Papua New Guinea international Mead then set-up a simple score for Langi underneath the sticks in a devastating opening 22 minutes from the Dragons.
Wakefield responded with their first try of the match, four minutes later, when a flat bullet pass from Ryan Hampshire found Lyne who evaded the defensive effort of Brayden Wiliame to ground the ball over the line after a video referee review.
Wing Broughton then doubled his tally for the match, and the season, after being found by a basketball-style pass by Wiliame. The 31-year-old just kept himself in the field of play to give Catalans a healthy 14-point advantage at the break.
He completed his hat-trick four minutes into the second period when Ben Jones-Bishop allowed Tomkins dangerous kick to bounce beyond him to give Broughton the simplest of tries.
Gigot produced another wonderful try assist, with his second short, no-look, pass of the game, this time sending Kenny Edwards over to put the game out of Wakefield’s reach.
The half-back then scored a try himself just past the hour mark with another magical piece of play, delaying a pass into the path of Sam Kasiano to create the space before receiving the ball back from the prop and rounding off another excellent individual display.
Gigot continued his fine display with his second try of the game with 10 minutes left to play. Broughton did well to find Wiliame in-field with an offload who in-turn picked out Gigot with an offload of his own. With the ball too low for Gigot to collect, he smartly prodded the ball in front of him with his boot before collecting the loose ball and going over to take his side past the 40-point mark.
Tupou scored a late consolation try for Wakefield in the corner but it was too little too late for the visitors in an error-strewn display in France.
FOUR POINTERS
Broughton is back
After suffering terrible injuries at the back end of the 2018 season and beginning of the 2019 season, the wing was at his very best on Saturday evening scoring a superb hat-trick of tries. He opened his account for the season with a tidy finish in the corner before doing well to remain in the field of play for his second try. He was gifted his hat-trick try but more than deserves a lucky break after his struggles with injury. Hopefully, the 31-year-old can remain fit for the remainder of the season and prove he still has what it takes at the highest level.
Gigot proves his worth at half-back
Having shared full-back and half-back duties with Sam Tomkins this season, Gigot was at his magical best against Wakefield proving his worth at half-back in the Catalans side. He laid on two tries with magnificent short, no-look, passes before scoring two wonderful tries himself. His second try was particularity impressive with his quick-thinking to prod the ball in front of him a stroke of his genius. Keeping him at half-back
Wakefield in free fall
Trinity appear to be in free fall at the moment with their season falling off a cliff since their defeat to London Broncos back in May. Defeats at home to Catalans and Leeds, failing to register a point against the Rhinos, as well as away losses to St Helens and Salford Red Devils have seen Wakefield drop out of the play-off race. They are now as far away from the play-off places as they are from the bottom of the table and might have to start looking over their shoulder if results don’t pick up.
Super League XXIV proving to be the closest yet
The 24th edition of Super League is proving to be the closest yet with just eight points separating fourth-place Wigan Warriors from bottom side London. Every two points is crucial, from now until the end of the season, with today’s result an example of that. As previously mentioned, Wakefield are now as close to the play-offs as they are to the bottom of the table whilst victory for Catalans moves them within two points of third-place Hull FC but are only eight clear of London. With so many thrills and spills to come in the final weeks of Super League, this year’s edition will be going right down to the wire for play-off and relegation places.
THE RESULT
Catalans Dragons 44
Tries: Broughton 3, Whitley, Langi, Edwards, Gigot 2
Goals: Tomkins 6
Drop Goals: n/a
Wakefield Trinity 10
Tries: Lyne, Tupou
Goals: Brough
Drop Goals: n/a
SQUADS
Catalans Dragons: Tomkins, Broughton, Mead, Wiliame, Romano, Langi, Gigot, Bousquet, McIlroum, Simon, Whitley, Garcia, Casty
Interchanges: Edwards, Albert, Maria, Kasiano
Wakefield Trinity: Hampshire, Jones-Bishop, Lyne, Arundel, Tupou, Miller, Brough, Fifita, Randell, Kopczak, Pauli, Tanginoa, Crowther
Interchanges: Wood, King, Hirst, Gwaze
