LEIGH LEOPARDS 16 CATALANS DRAGONS 22
KASEY SMITH, Progress With Unity Stadium, Friday

CATALANS survived an onslaught in the final minutes to hold on for a vital win over Leigh, who have now suffered three straight defeats.

Two second-half tries, combined with two successful penalties, gave the Dragons the upper hand over the injury-hit Leopards who could not overturn the deficit despite a late Tesi Niu score.

Catalans appeared to control the game more effectively, landing crucial two-pointers at key moments. There was also some outstanding late goal-line scrambling as the Dragons threw everything into defending their slender lead until the very end.

This season, the Dragons have adopted a new approach. After enduring a couple of challenging campaigns, the club shifted its recruitment strategy, moving away from a heavy reliance on experienced Australians and instead targeting younger overseas talents.

The signings of Charlie Staines, Toby Sexton, and Josh Allen underline a clear intent to refresh the squad and turn the club’s fortunes around.

Judging by the opening results, it may still be a long season for the Perpignan outfit, but this trip proved to be the perfect opportunity to bounce back.

Leigh opened the scoring inside eight minutes. Lightning-quick hands from Lachlan Lam created the opening, giving Gareth O’Brien the time and space to fire a cut-out pass to Innes Senior who burst clear and offloaded to Niu who scored.

For all of the Dragons’ stardust in the halves and at fullback, it was an old-fashioned, hard charge at the line from Harvey Wilson that brought the French side level, crashing over to catch the Leopards napping.

There were plenty of fireworks off the pitch, but not many on it in the first half. Leigh’s eccentric owner, Derek Beaumont, is always keen to turn matches into an event, yet two ill-disciplined sides ensured the contest itself never truly ignited until the second 40.

A stop-start first half of rugby unfolded, with both teams conceding an uncharacteristic five penalties apiece as it stayed 6-6 to half-time.

And the infringements kept on coming – two in two minutes in favour of the Dragons, to be precise. Head coach Joel Tomkins had two fingers raised in the air, and Sexton duly obliged, slotting his first penalty shortly after the break.

A powerful drive from Ben Condon, just off the bench, sparked the contest into life. Kruise Leeming, prowling at dummy-half, scooped up the ball and surged forward. Sexton, supporting, took control and weaved his way toward the goal-line, with the Leopards defenders barely in sight. Hot on his heels, Staines thundered through to touch down and extend their lead.

That angered Leigh, who struck back almost immediately. Fueled by the roaring crowd, they found a gap out wide and Lam’s clever play set up Senior to dash over in the corner.

Looking to go back-to-back, Lam attempted the lightning-fast hands move once more, but the pass was off target. That gave Léo Derralatour – a late call-up when Tommy Makinson was injured in the warm-up – the perfect chance to pounce. He surged forward, before tricky Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e took over, weaving and darting past defenders.

It was then Dodd who finished the move off for a vital score, just as Leigh were gaining a foothold.

But up stepped Niu to spin the game on its head. He broke through, left Staines on his backside and Darrelatour for dust, as he brought Leigh back into the contest, with 13 minutes left to go.

But a late Sexton penalty meant Catalans held on for a precious win.

GAMESTAR: Tesi Niu, despite being on the losing end, was devastating with the ball in hand close to the line.

GAMEBREAKER: Catalans’ third try came just as the momentum began to swing in Leigh’s favour.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Catalans could not lay a glove on Tesi Niu as he ripped through for his second try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Tesi Niu (Leigh)
2 pts Toby Sexton (Catalans)
1 pt Kruise Leeming (Catalans)

MATCHFACTS

LEOPARDS
21 Gareth O’Brien
19 Innes Senior
3 Tesi Niu
2 Keanan Brand
5 Josh Charnley
6 Adam Cook
7 Lachlan Lam
12 Owen Trout
24 Ben McNamara
10 Robbie Mulhern
11 Frankie Halton
15 Jacob Alick-Wiencke
13 Isaac Liu
Subs (all used)
22 Jack Hughes
28 Ryan Brown
23 Andy Badrock
17 Liam Horne
18th man (not used)
25 Louis Brogan
Also in 20-man squad
20 AJ Towse
29 Will Brough

Tries: Niu (10, 66), Senior (54)
Goals: Cook 2/3

DRAGONS
1 Charlie Staines
28 Léo Darrelatour
3 Nick Cotric
4 Solomona Faataape
14 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
6 Toby Sexton
7 Lewis Dodd
16 Josh Allen
9 Alrix Da Costa
17 Romain Navarrete
21 Matthieu Laguerre
20 Zac Lipowicz
18 Harvey Wilson
Subs (all used)
19 Kruise Leeming
8 Tevita Satae
12 Ben Condon
29 Tiaki Chan
18th man (not used)
24 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
Also in 21-man squad
2 Tommy Makinson
15 Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui
25 Lenny Marc

Tries: Wilson (20), Staines (46), Dodd (54)
Goals: Sexton 5/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 6-6; 6-8, 6-14, 10-14, 10-20, 16-20, 16-22

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Leopards: Tesi Niu; Dragons: Toby Sexton

Penalty count: 10-8
Half-time: 6-6
Referee: Marcus Griffiths
Attendance: 8,090