Catalans Dragons (10) 28
T : Morgan Escaré 2, Zeb Taia, Ian Henderson, Elliott Whitehead
G : Thomas Bosc 5

Catsleford Tigers (0) 6
T : Kirk Dixon
G : Marc Sneyd

Morgan Escare starred for the Catalans Dragons as ironically, they rained on Castleford Tigers’ parade in the blistering heat of Perpignan. With Castleford looking to top the table for the first time in their history, Catalans Dragons managed to secure the win and give the league leaders shield to St Helens.

Catalans needed a win to secure the league leaders shield on points difference from St Helens, but Catalan’s had other idea’s as they look to build up to an assault on the play-offs, starting with Leeds at Headingley next Saturday.
In a tough opening to the game, both sides were willing to chance their arm and pass the ball out wide, and Catalans were the beneficiaries of their adventurous play, with Morgan Escare scoring the try of the game as the ball passed through seven sets of hands (including Escare’s twice) on it’s way to Escare touching down in the 33rd minute. Thomas Bosc added the goal to take the scores to 6-0.

Escare produced a piece of individual brilliance with eight seconds remaining of the first half, latching onto Daryl Millard’s offload, the Catalans full-back dived full-length to twist his body and touch down in the corner.

After the break, the tries continued to flow, Ben Pomeroy intercepting and racing clear before the ball was sent to the left to Sam Williams who drew the cover defence and sent in Zeb Taia at the corner. Bosc added the conversion to take the scores to 16-0.

Castleford hit straight back, Bosc knocking on 30 metres from his own line to gift field position to the hosts. The Tigers ran a play down the right hand side, Luke Dorn taking the ball to the line before offloading to Oliver Holmes whose quick hands to Kirk Dixon allowed the Castleford winger to score in the corner. Sneyd added the conversion from the touchline to take the scores to 16-6.

Catalans clinched the win on the hour mark, Ian Henderson managing to squeeze his way over from acting half after Luke Dorn had again gifted the Catalans field position twenty metres from the Castleford line. Bosc again added the conversion to take the scores to 22-6.

Henderson was proving a menace to the Castleford defence, five minutes later he picked up and pushed away four would be defenders before feeding Elliott Whitehead who himself pushed away two defenders on his way to scoring in the right corner. Bosc again added the conversion as the Catalans extended their lead to 28-6.