Saints v Catalans Dragons

Saints fought back from a half-time deficit to beat Catalans Dragons 34-18 at the BrewDog Stadium!

First Half

Catalans took the lead eight minutes in. Jack Welsby was down on the floor after being on the recieving end of a tackle, referee Tom Grant allowed a full set and the visitors made the most of it. Leo Darrelatour broke down the left wing, he found Charlie Staines in support on his inside and he scored from close range. Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet added the conversion, 0-6 we trailed.

The hosts tried to respond. A penalty inside our own half moved us downfield. On the last, inside the Catalans twenty, Jackson Hastings kicked high to our left edge but Nick Cotric won the battle in the air.

Soon after, the hosts did have their first points of the evening. Hastings again kicked high, this time to the right edge, with Jed Cartwright plucking the ball out of mid air and then grounding the ball from close range. Hastings levelled the scores with the conversion, 6-6 we were tied.

Another chance followed. Saints forced an error from Staines deep inside his own half. The Red V used up a few tackles before Hastings’ pass to Joe Shorrocks went to ground under the sticks. A let off for the visitors.

Against the run of play, Catalans re-took the lead on the half-hour mark. Solomona Faataape broke down the left edge but Harry Robertson did well to initially halt the break before he got an offload away. The visitors then shifted the ball from left to right, with Nick Cotric stepping inside onto his left foot and burying his way over in the corner. Aispuro-Bichet converted from the right touchline, 6-12.

Four minutes later, we had our first trip to the video referee. Saints forced an error on our own line, Welsby tried a pass that found the ground and former Saint, Lewis Dodd pounced on it to score. After a lengthy check, it was confirmed as a no try,

Just before the break, the Dragons thought they had another try. Kruise Leeming put Ben Condon through a gap and he crashed over to score from close range. Referee Tom Grant ruled forward pass and disallowed it.

In the final seconds of the half, Darrelatour looked destined to score in the corner but some great last ditch defence from Jack Campbell put him into touch with the final play of the half. 6-12 Saints trailed at the break.

Second Half

Saints started the second half with a try. Tristan Sailor did well down the right edge, he flicked the ball to Campbell on the right wing and he scored in the corner unopposed. Hastings levelled the scores with the conversion, 12-12.

The following set, Saints had the lead for the first time. Shorrocks was held up inches short of the line. The following tackle, Tom Humphreys put in a low kick under the sticks which Robertson won the race to. There was a lengthy check despite the try being given, but eventually the on-field verdict of try was agreed with. Hastings added his third conversion, 18-12 we led.

Again from the restart, Saints had another try. Humphreys did well to break down the left edge, he found Welsby in support on his inside and he won the race to the try-line to increase our lead. Hastings added another conversion, 24-12.

Four minutes later, the Dragons got back into the contest. They worked the ball well down their short-side on the right edge. Matthieu Laguerre found Cotric who dove over in the corner under pressure for his second try of the evening. Aispuro-Bichet’s conversion bounced in off the post, 24-18 we led.

They threatened again just before the hour mark. Darrelatour broke down the left wing and looked to kick ahead but good work from Campbell forced a knock on. Then, up the other end, Saints shifted the ball to the right edge and good hands saw Campbell break around the edge and dive low in the corner for his second try of the contest. Hastings missed the kick, 28-18 Saints led.

The Saints attack continued to threaten. Off the back of a Curtis Sironen break deep into Catalans territory, Saints went right as Robertson put a low kick in but the visitors did well to deal with it.

With less than ten minutes to go, Saints looked to have wrapped the game up. Hastings found Sironen down the left edge and he broke through a tackle and dove over to score. Despite the try being given on-field we had another input from the video referee, this time they disallowed it for obstruction.

Saints sealed the win with the final play of the game. The hosts moved the ball through the hands, it eventually found Robertson on the right edge and he stepped inside, broke a tackle and scored under the sticks. Hastings converted with the final kick of the game. 34-18 an injury-hit Saints beat the Dragons at the BrewDog Stadium!

Match Summary

Saints Team: Jack Welsby, Jacob Douglas, Tristan Sailor, Jake Davies, Jack Campbell, Harry Robertson, Jackson Hastings, Daniel Suluka-Fifita, Jake Burns, Jacob Host, Curtis Sironen, Jed Cartwright, Joe Shorrocks.

Interchanges: Alfie Sinclair, Tom Humphreys, Cole Marsh, Matty Evans.

18th Man: Tyler McGann.

Tries: Jed Cartwright (18), Jack Campbell (42, 60), Harry Robertson (47, 80), Jack Welsby (48)

Conversions: Jackson Hastings (5 from 6)

Catalans Dragons Team: Charlie Staines, Nick Cotric, Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet, Solomona Faataape, Leo Darrelatour, Toby Sexton, Lewis Dodd, Josh Allen, Ugo Tison, Franck Maria, Edenn Rogers-Smith, Zac Lipowicz, Julian Bousquet.

Interchanges: Ben Condon, Kruise Leeming, Matthieu Laguerre, Alexis Lis.

18th Man: Clement Martin.

Tries: Charlie Staines (8), Nick Cotric (30, 52)

Conversions: Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet (3 from 3)

HT: 6-12

FT: 34-18