Edwin Ipape inspires Leigh Leopards to thrilling win over Catalans Dragons

LEIGH LEOPARDS 26 CATALANS DRAGONS 24
STEPHEN IBBETSON, St James’ Park, Newcastle, Saturday

LEIGH came from behind to edge fellow in-form side Catalans in a thrilling start to Magic Weekend.

Both sides enjoyed a perfect April with four wins from four in all competitions and they showed confidence to chance their arm in an entertaining encounter.

But after Catalans made a strong start, Leigh were the better side in the second half and tries by backrowers Ethan O’Neill and Owen Trout proved decisive.

Edwin Ipape was instrumental for the Leopards and Joe Ofahengaue enjoyed a strong debut, while young Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet again stood out for the Dragons, despite his one missed kick ultimately being the difference on the scoreboard.

Catalans were on the front foot from the kick-off – which Leigh kicked out on the full – and they opened the scoring in the fifth minute.

Théo Fages lifted a short, high kick up for tall centre Matthieu Laguerre to claim in the air with ease and Aispuro-Bichet added the conversion.

Just as Leigh began to establish a foothold, they handed the initiative back quite literally as Andy Badrock’s ill-advised offload in attack allowed Tariq Sims to break to halfway.

Two plays later, Aispuro-Bichet made a stunning run through the Leopards’ defence to score and, with the goal, double Catalans’ lead.

Another brilliant individual effort, from Ipape, dragged Leigh back into the game, as he slipped out of a tackle and forced his way to the posts after Darnell McIntosh kept play alive.

Ben McNamara converted, but any Leopards momentum was stifled by a couple of tight forward passes.

And when Alrix Da Costa kicked a 40/20, Brad Dwyer’s over-eagerness at marker allowed Aispuro-Bichet to add another two points to the Dragons’ tally five minutes before half-time.

There was still time for Leigh to hit back before the break, however, as McNamara nipped over from dummy-half after Ipape was felled in front of the posts and he added the goal on the hooter to reduce the deficit to 12-14.

That lasted only four minutes of the second half until Reimis Smith scrambled in out wide, but the see-saw nature of the contest continued as O’Neill hit straight back by claiming a Lachlan Lam kick.

As Aispuro-Bichet hit a post with his conversion attempt, McNamara’s conversion levelled the tie at 18-18, and the halfback – in for Gareth O’Brien, one of several Leigh injuries – then put his side ahead for the first time in the 58th minute after an offside penalty followed a fumble by Oliver Partington.

That was the first of three yardage errors in succession by the Dragons, and the last – by Tevita Pangai Jr – was punished to the tune of six points as Owen Trout, in a change of position from prop, ran a great backrower line to surge in.

McNamara’s conversion gave Leigh an eight-point lead and although that wasn’t quite the end of the matter, as Catalans hit back through a smart Fages kick in behind for halfback Keary, they managed to see the game out.

GAMESTAR: Edwin Ipape was absolutely everywhere for Leigh.

GAMEBREAKER: Owen Trout’s try capitalised on a poor Catalans spell and gave the Leopards enough of a cushion.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Hot prospect Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet lit up the first half with an exceptional try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Edwin Ipape (Leigh)
2 pts Joe Ofahengaue (Leigh)
1 pt Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet (Catalans)

MATCHFACTS
LEOPARDS
24 Bailey Hodgson
2 Darnell McIntosh
3 Tesi Niu
21 Andy Badrock
5 Josh Charnley
22 Ben McNamara
7 Lachlan Lam
32 Joe Ofahengaue (D)
9 Edwin Ipape
10 Robbie Mulhern
20 Ethan O’Neill
8 Owen Trout
13 Isaac Liu
Subs (all used)
23 Nathan Wilde
19 Louis Brogan
16 Matt Davis
17 Brad Dwyer
18th man (not used)
29 AJ Towse
Also in 21-man squad
4 Umyla Hanley
6 Gareth O’Brien
12 Jack Hughes

Tries: Ipape (24), McNamara (39), O’Neill (48), Trout (62)
Goals: McNamara 5/5

DRAGONS
26 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
22 Fouad Yaha
23 Matthieu Laguerre
4 Reimis Smith
5 Nick Cotric
6 Luke Keary
21 Théo Fages
8 Tevita Pangai Jr
9 Ben Garcia
10 Julian Bousquet
11 Tariq Sims
12 Elliott Whitehead
13 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
14 Alrix Da Costa
15 Tevita Satae
16 Romain Navarrete
17 Bayley Sironen
18th man (not used)
18 César Rougé
Also in 21-man squad
1 Sam Tomkins
19 Paul Séguier
29 Léo Darrélatour