CATALANS DRAGONS 38 CASTLEFORD TIGERS 4
STEVE BRADY, Stade Gilbert Brutus, Saturday

TWO TEAMS with nothing to play for but pride battled it out at the Brutus with the desperate Dragons emerging victorious over the toothless Tigers.

Catalans were missing winger Tommy Makinson with a shoulder injury but in stepped club top try-scorer Fouad Yaha, whereas Castleford’s injury-hit side was filled with rookies and reserves.

Senior star Joe Westerman travelled to France but didn’t make the final cut, while teenager Alfie Lindsey made his debut. Alex Mellor was captain for Cas on his 250th Super League appearance.

New coach for 2026 Ryan Carr will have watched with interest from Australia as Cas dominated the first half, coping with the heat and humidity in Perpignan.

Coach Joel Tomkins had asked his players to put a smile on the faces of French supporters who have had little to shout about in a miserable season to forget.

And there was more misery in the opening minutes when fullback Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet spilled the ball on his own 20-metre line and Castleford hooker Liam Horne scooted between the posts with the loose ball, although video referee Jack Smith ruled that tackle had been completed.

There was no doubt moments later when debutant Lindsey linked on to a wide-sweeping move to the right to cross in the corner, after a period of intense pressure on the Dragons’ line.

It was all Tigers early on but Aussie centre Reimis Smith levelled the scores against the run of play when he picked up a clever pass from Aispuro-Bichet to stride over the line from ten metres out in the 22nd minute.

Les Dracs had the chance to double their score when winger Fouad Yaha chipped through the Cas defence, but Luke Keary couldn’t collect the ball in-goal for what would have been a simple score.

Keary made amends on the stroke of half-time when he stumbled and regained his feet to feed Smith for his second try, converted by Aispuro-Bichet for a 10-4 home lead which didn’t reflect the dominant opening half of the Tigers.

Catalans conceded a penalty in front of their own posts in the opening set of the second period but their visitors couldn’t turn possession into points.

Yaha showed them the way when he collected a long pass from Keary to cross in the left corner in the 49th minute, and things got worse for Castleford when fullback Windley left the field with concussion.

The Dragons went further ahead when Oliver Partington fed Keary for a stroll over the line for the killer try in the 61st minute.

His halfback partner Théo Fages then landed a 40/20 kick and Aispuro-Bichet was next to score with a try on the left as Catalans turned up the heat.

Hooker Alrix Da Costa followed in with a trademark dummy-half scoot over the line, then Smith completed his hat-trick to give the Dragons a hard-earned, long-time-coming victory.

GAMESTAR: Luke Keary dominated midfield with ball and boot and scored a decisive second-half try.

GAMEBREAKER: Fouad Yaha’s 49th-minute strike signalled the beginning of the end for Castleford after a brave and dominant first half.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: A try on debut is every teenage player’s dream and the Castleford supporters rose as one to congratulate young hero Alfie Lindsey.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Luke Keary (Catalans)
2 pts Reimis Smith (Catalans)
1 pt Tom Amone (Castleford)

MATCHFACTS
DRAGONS
26 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
22 Fouad Yaha
23 Matthieu Laguerre
4 Reimis Smith
5 Nick Cotric
6 Luke Keary
21 Théo Fages
15 Tevita Satae
14 Alrix Da Costa
24 Franck Maria
17 Bayley Sironen
9 Ben Garcia
13 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
16 Romain Navarrete
19 Paul Séguier
20 Jordan Dezaria
31 Denive Balmforth
18th man (not used)
18 César Rougé
Also in 21-man squad
3 Arthur Romano
8 Tevita Pangai Jr
32 Lenny Marc

Tries: Smith (22, 40, 79), Yaha (49), Keary (61), Aispuro-Bichet (64), Da Costa (74)
Goals: Aispuro-Bichet 4/6, Seguier 1/1

TIGERS
27 Jenson Windley
46 Alfie Lindsey (D)
25 Will Tate
22 Louis Senior
45 Elliot Wallis
6 Daejarn Asi
42 Chris Atkin
38 Brad Singleton
9 Liam Horne
41 Tom Amone
11 Jeremiah Simbiken
12 Alex Mellor
10 George Lawler
Subs (all used)
14 George Griffin
16 Cain Robb
20 Muizz Mustapha
39 Hugo Salabio
18th man (not used)
19 Sam Hall
Also in 21-man squad
13 Joe Westerman
26 George Hill
44 Andy Djeukessi

Tries: Lindsey (13)
Goals: Atkin 0/1

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 4-4, 10-4; 14-4, 20-4, 26-4, 32-4, 38-4

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Luke Keary; Tigers: Tom Amone

Penalty count: 8-7
Half-time: 10-4
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 7,269