CATALANS DRAGONS ​33 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE ​26​
RICKY WILBY, Stade Gilbert Brutus, Saturday

THE return of the French derby didn’t disappoint in Perpignan as Catalans overcame a stubborn Toulouse performance which saw Mathieu Jussaume score a hat-trick in defeat.

Toulouse started much the brighter, Thomas Lacans thinking he had scored only to be brought back for an earlier knock-on.

However an infringement from Kruise Leeming on the supporting Toulouse player was spotted by the officials and Leeming was sent to the sin bin.

The hosts were struggling but Olympique couldn’t take advantage as César Rougé and Olly Ashall-Bott both had efforts ruled out by the video official.

Catalans opened the scoring in the 14th minute when Lewis Dodd found Sexton, who reached out to touch down from close range despite three Toulouse defenders and then converted too.

Sexton also created the second Dragons try three minutes later, sending the ball to the left where Zac Lipowicz’s wide pass saw Léo Darrélatour touch down in the corner. Sexton again added the conversion to double the their lead.

Catalans were scoring at will, and an error from Ashall-Bott presented them with more good field position before Charlie Staines ran down the right edge and his wide ball put Nick Cotric away to the corner. Sexton this time missed the conversion to leave the score 16-0.

Toulouse eventually got on the scoreboard in the 28th minute, as a short ball from Rougé found Jussaume who scored his first without a finger being laid on him.

Rougé added the conversion and helped narrow the gap further four minutes later as his neat reverse kick towards the posts saw Ashall-Bott outpace Leeming to score under the posts, from where he added the simple conversion.

One minute from half-time, a short ball from Reubenn Rennie found Jussaume who charged over from short range to level the score. Rougé couldn’t knock his side in front with the conversion.

Toulouse loan forward Tiaki Chan assisted the team he was playing for only a couple of weeks ago as his knock-on, then a six-again gave Catalans field position. Solomona Faataape got his arm free down the left and offloaded to the supporting Darrélatour who scored in the corner with Sexton adding the conversion.

Catalans made it back-to-back tries as Leeming spotted a gap down the short side and spread the ball to Darrélatour, whose inside ball to Dodd was further moved on for centre Faataape to score in the left corner.

Sexton struck the crossbar with the conversion attempt and the score remained 26-16.

Jussaume finished his hat-trick just after the hour mark after Ashall-Bott dummied wide and found the French back-rower on a short ball, but Rougé hit the post with the conversion attempt to see the Catalans lead remain at six points.

And the Dragons sealed the win with a smart finish from Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e. Gifted field position from a penalty won by the try-scorer, the ball was sent to the right through Staines and Laulu-Togaga’e stepped and dummied his way to the line.

Sexton added the conversion to give the hosts a twelve-point lead, and with time running down Leeming added a field-goal to extend it by a further point.

A short kick-off from Olympique resulted in Rennie sending Luke Polselli over to score down the right to narrow the final score to 33-26.

GAMESTAR: Toby Sexton ran the game for the home side, opened the scoring, assisted and his kicking game was on point.

GAMEBREAKER: Back-to-back tries for the home side early in the second half saw the hosts retake the lead and kick on.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Olly Ashall-Bott’s try just after the half-hour was worth the admission money, chasing and touching down a magnificent kick through from César Rougé.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Toby Sexton (Catalans)
2 pts César Rougé (Toulouse)
1 pt Mathieu Jussaume (Toulouse)

MATCHFACTS

DRAGONS
1 Charlie Staines
3 Nick Cotric
14 Phoenix Laulu-Togaga’e
4 Solomona Faataape
18 Léo Darrélatour
6 Toby Sexton
7 Lewis Dodd
15 Iszac Fa’asuamaleaui
19 Kruise Leeming
17 Romain Navarrete
20 Zac Lipowicz
30 Alexis Lis
10 Julian Bousquet
Subs (all used)
8 Tevita Satae
12 Ben Condon
16 Josh Allen
18 Harvey Wilson
18th man (not used)
24 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
Also in 21-man squad
2 Tommy Makinson
25 Lenny Marc
26 Ugo Tison

Tries: Sexton (14), Darrélatour (17, 49), Cotric (23), Faatappe (52), Laulu-Togaga’e (72)
Goals: Sexton 4/6
Field-goals: Leeming (79)
Sin bin: Leeming (4) – professional foul

OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
5 Benjamin Laguerre
19 Roméo Tropis
3 Reubenn Rennie
25 Luke Polselli
29 César Rougé
6 Thomas Lacans
8 Lambert Belmas
9 Brendan Hands
23 Tyler Dupree
12 Mathieu Jussaume
11 Maxime Stefani
13 Anthony Marion
Subs (all used)
10 James Roumanos
15 Joe Cator
17 Rob Butler
30 Tiaki Chan (D2)
18th man (not used)
20 AJ Wallace
Also in 21-man-squad
7 Jake Shorrocks
21 Ellis Gillam
27 Hugo Garrigues

Tries: Jussaume (28, 39, 65), Ashall-Bott (32), Polselli (80)
Goals: Rougé 3/5

SCORING SEQUENCE: 6-0, 12-0, 16-0, 16-6, 16-12, 16-16; 22-16, 26-16, 26-20, 32-20, 33-20, 33-26

Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Toby Sexton; Olympique: César Rougé

Penalty count: 3-8
Half-time: 16-16
Referee: Tom Grant
Attendance: 10,259