β«π§ ππΌππππ πππΌπ ππππ! β«π§
Your Saints @thechallengecup Quarter Final team is locked in! π
Will Hopoate, @engywalmsley and @matt_lees1 all return! β#COYS
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 9, 2022
Saints had an early opportunity to take a two-point lead after earning a penalty in front of the sticks as the hosts didn’t let Alex Walmsley up for a quick play-the-ball. Tommy Makinson added an easy two points to give us a 2-0 advantage.
Saints’ pressure continued as they earned a drop-out after a great chase from Joe Batchelor, it came to nothing in the end though.
Catalans responded in the 17th minute. They worked the ball through the hands which ended with Sam Tomkins throwing a cut-out pass for Fouad Yaha to stroll in the left corner. Tomkins missed the conversion, 4-2 Saints trailed.
Saints responded well. Jack Welsby threw a great cut-out pass down the right wing to the returning Will Hopoate, he then returned the favour by passing to Welsby on his inside to score under the sticks. Makinson converted, 8-4 the Saints lead.
A second Saints try followed. Jonny Lomax found Curtis Sironen who made a small break before finding Welsby on his inside, he then found another offload to Lewis Dodd who broke to score under the sticks. Makinson converted, 14-2.
π Jack Welsby with a great break and Lewis Dodd goes in for another @Saints1890 try
π@Betfred #ChallengeCup
πΊ @BBCSport / @BBCOne pic.twitter.com/gjhflY5io0— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) April 9, 2022
That was quickly followed by a third. Saints went down the left side and Mark Percival made a break before racing away to score. Makinson converted, 20-4 Saints led.
Saints then lost a man for ten minutes as Sironen was sin binned for a high shot. The hosts made the most of their man advantage as Gil Dudson went over from close range. Arthur Mourgue took over kicking duties from the injured Tomkins and converted to make it 20-10. That was the final score of the first period, as Saints led 20-10 at the break in Perpignan.
HT: π² Dragons 10-20 Saints β«π§
We lead by 10 at the break…#COYS
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 9, 2022
Saints’ advantage was extended five minutes into the second period. Off the back of a great carry by Percival, Morgan Knowles managed to bury over from dummy half from close range. Makinson converted, 26-10.
π Back underway for the second half!
π Morgan Knowles goes in for @Saints1890 to make it 10-26.
π@Betfred #ChallengeCup
πΊ @BBCSport / @BBCOne pic.twitter.com/U5wc0juKxu— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) April 9, 2022
Catalans responded again, A move from right to left ended with Yaha grounding the ball in the corner. Mourgue converted, 26-16. Saints had their fifth try on the hour mark. Joey Lussick found Dan Norman on the Dragons line and he stepped past Sam Kasiano to score his third try of the season under the sticks. Makinson converted, 32-16. Saints’ sixth followed as we entered the closing stages.
Batchelor ran a great line close to the Dragons line and powered over from close range to stretch out and ground the ball. Makinson missed the conversion, 36-16.
Catalans added a late consolation, Josh Drinkwater threw a cut-out pass which allowed Tom Davies to stroll over in the corner. Mourgue missed the extras, 36-20.
Those were the final points of the game, as Saints progressed to the Challenge Cup semi-finals with a 36-20 victory in Perpignan!
FT: π² Dragons 20-36 Saints β«π§
π π¦π§ππ§ππ ππ‘π§ πͺππ‘ ππ‘ ππ₯ππ‘ππ β π’π‘π§π’ π§ππ π¦ππ ππ¦!#COYS
— St.Helens R.F.C. (@Saints1890) April 9, 2022
Match Summary
Catalans Dragons Team:Β Sam Tomkins, Tom Davies, Arthur Romano, Tyrone May, Fouad Yaha, Mitchell Pearce, Josh Drinkwater, Dylan Napa, Michael McIlorum, Gil Dudson, Mike McMeekan, Benjamin Julien, Benjamin Garcia.
Interchanges:Β Arthur Mourgue, Jordan Dezaria, Joe Chan, Sam Kasiano.
