CATALANS DRAGONS coach Joel Tomkins feels there is increasing frustration in the game because of “slow ruck speed” which is stifling momentum and creative play.

Speaking after Saturday night’s 38-4 victory over Castleford in Perpignan, Tomkins told reporters: “The way the game is refereed at the moment, the ruck is too slow. That is not a criticism of the referees, it’s just the way it’s been this season.

“It is so difficult to build any momentum in the game. You break a tackle and poke your nose through but then they can re-group and slow it down. There is no advantage in trying to break tackles any more because the ruck is refereed so slowly.

“All coaches are frustrated with the way it is refereed.

“If you look at the NRL and the quick rucks and the fatigue they introduce to the game, that’s why you see exciting tries in space.

“The defensive line has time to reset every time and it is so difficult to create any momentum.

“I suppose the best teams in the competition still do it, so maybe we have got to find a way of creating our own momentum.”

The Dragons were slow-starters themselves against a patched-up Tigers’ team who dominated the first half at Stade Gilbert Brutus before the home team took control after the interval.

Tomkins added: “It’s nice to see some smiles in the crowd and in the changing rooms but the pleasing element for me is that we scored some nice tries and gave the fans something to cheer about, to get excited about.

“We can all be happy with the result tonight.

“We missed the jump; we were too slow from the start but in the second half we had more intent.

“We were poor in the first half which is disappointing after last week when we started the game so well against Warrington and it’s the opposite this week.

“We were good in the second half and if we want a chance next week against Wigan we need to play the first half against Warrington and the second against Castleford.

“We need to put them together and we might have a chance.”

The Dragons’ chief is hoping to have senior players returning to action for the Wigan clash.

He said, “It’s a big game, there will be a lot of players for whom it will be their last time at this stadium, like Fouad Yaha, who is the top try scorer in the club’s history.

“It’ll be a pretty emotional night for a lot of players.

“Tommy Makinson is potentially fit, it will be a 50/50 call, we’ve got a few options next week to mix things up.”