Catalans Dragons have defeated Wigan Warriors 33-16 today in the first ever Rugby League game to be played in the Nou Camp Stadium.
The game was played in front of a record crowd for a regular season Super League game of 31,555.
The Dragons led 8-6 at half-time but extended their lead in the second half to a convincing 23-point margin, with two tries to David Mead, before Wigan scored a consolation converted try by Zak Hardaker at the end.
Following the match, Robert Elstone, the Chief Executive of Super League said was effusive in his praise of Super League’s venture into Catalonia.
“The whole of Super League was excited by Camp Nou,” said Elstone.
“It is such big statement of ambition and intent and we should salute the two Chairmen involved – the vision and enterprise shown by Catalans’ Bernard Guasch, and the unhesitatingly support offered by Wigan’s Ian Lenagan.
“I don’t think anything in Super League’s 24-year history will have achieved those objectives more explicitly than a game at the Camp Nou.”
Catalans Dragons President, Bernard Guasch, was delighted to be in Barcelona.
“I am grateful for the efforts made by our fans who travelled to Barcelona,” he said.
“I am also impressed by the number of Wigan fans in attendance, with over 3,000 fans making the trip from the UK, once again highlighting the strength of Wigan Warriors as a major force in the sport.
“After our Challenge Cup success, taking a match to such an iconic stadium is such a great achievement for our club. It has also helped to grow the profile of the sport and introduce new audiences to Rugby League.”
And there were two other shock results in Super with London Broncos defeating Wakefield Trinity 42-34 with Jordan Abdull scoring four first-half tries, while Hull FC registered a 12-19 victory over Warrington Wolves at the Halliwell Jones Stadium.
In the first two games of the Summer Bash there were wins for Toronto Wolfpack against Toulouse Olympique and Swinton Lions against Rochdale Hornets.
Betfred Super League
Catalans Dragons 33 Wigan Warriors 16
London Broncos 42 Wakefield Trinity 34
Warrington Wolves 12 Hull FC 19
Betfred Championship
Toronto Wolfpack 42 Toulouse Olympique 14
Rochdale Hornets 30 Swinton Lions 40
Featherstone Rovers 42 York City Knights 10
Bradford Bulls 14 Halifax 21
Betfred League 1
London Skolars 22 Doncaster 6
Telstra Premiership
Gold Coast Titans 16 Canterbury Bulldogs 22
North Queensland Cowboys 17 Parramatta Eels 10
Canberra Raiders 12 South Sydney Rabbitohs 16
World Cup 2021 Qualifying Game
Greece 56 Norway 26
Full Reports and Photos from all games will feature in Monday’s edition of League Express