CATALANS DRAGONS 0 HULL FC 34
STEVE BRADY, Stade Gilbert Brutus, Saturday
CATALANS’ crisis of confidence continues with another home humbling, this time at the hands of Hull FC.
The Black and Whites’ renaissance under coach John Cartwright continues with a second win this season in Perpignan, all the more impressive considering the lengthy list of first-teamers out through injury.
John Asiata is the latest casualty and with Ligi Sao, Jed Cartwright, Jordan Lane, Oliver Holmes, Ryan Westerman and Liam Watts already out, Hull were glad of a return to the travelling squad of Jordan Rapana and Will Hutchinson.
Catalans were boosted by the return from injury of captain Ben Garcia plus wingers Tommy Makinson and Nick Cotric, but were still without senior stars Sam Tomkins, Julian Bousquet and Tariq Sims.
The late withdrawal of Elliott Whitehead with lower back pain sustained in the warm-up didn’t help matters for the Dragons but the biggest absence at the moment for Les Dracs is a permanent head coach, with interim boss Joel Tomkins doing his best to patch up a sinking ship which is descending lower in the Super League ranks with every week.
Five defeats in a row, even at this stage of the season, can prove fatal to top-six hopes and Catalans need to make major changes, and soon, to avoid missing the play-offs for the second season in a row.
As for Hull, it was an incredible seventh away win of the season. If only their home form matched it, they would be challenging for top honours with bitter city rivals Hull KR.
The game was played in strong sunshine and simmering 28-degree heat so it was important that the big players got on the scoreboard first, and Hull prop Herman Ese’ese ran over fullback Reimis Smith from short range to open the scoring after ten minutes. Aidan Sezer added the simple conversion for 6-0 to the visitors.
Hull doubled their advantage when Davy Litten intercepted five yards from his own line and released winger Lewis Martin for an 80-metre sprint to the line.
The game paused when Dragons’ centre Matthieu Laguerre was concussed in a tackle on Will Pryce, failing to return from a head-injury assessment.
A period of stalemate was lit up seconds before the half-time hooter when fullback Pryce collected a high ball and rounded the entire home defence to score a sensational 60-metre try. Sezer’s conversion made it 16-0 at half-time.
Hull restarted in the same dominant mood, forcing Catalans into a goal-line drop-out, then winning a captain’s challenge over a disputed knock-on with Martin going close and Davy Litten putting a foot in touch as he crossed in the left corner.
He made up for that slight error by scooting over to collect a Sezer kick and score in the 54th minute, Sezer converting for 22-0.
Pryce then scored his second stunning long-range strike, breaking easily through the Catalans defence on the left and racing unhindered 60 metres over the line.
Tom Briscoe struck next, collecting from a clever break by Zak Hardaker as Sezer tagged on the conversion for 34-0, much to the delight of the travelling Hull supporters.
It’s another positive step forward for the Black and Whites but for the Dragons, nilled for the third time in a row and with a trip to Hull KR next after Wembley weekend, things won’t get any easier until some major changes are made.
GAMESTAR: Aidan Sezer controlled the game from start to finish.
GAMEBREAKER: Will Pryce’s stunning try in the dying seconds of the first half was the killer blow for Catalans and his second-half stunner was even better.
HIGHLIGHT REEL: Will Pryce’s leap for a high ball and blistering 60-metre dash to the line just before half-time was a thing of beauty.
ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Aidan Sezer (Hull FC)
2 pts Will Pryce (Hull FC)
1 pt Herman Ese’ese (Hull FC)
MATCHFACTS
DRAGONS
4 Reimis Smith
2 Tommy Makinson
23 Matthieu Laguerre
5 Nick Cotric
22 Fouad Yaha
6 Luke Keary
21 Théo Fages
15 Tevita Satae
14 Alrix Da Costa
16 Romain Navarrete
9 Ben Garcia
3 Arthur Romano
13 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
18 César Rougé
19 Paul Séguier
20 Jordan Dezaria
24 Franck Maria
18th man (not used)
28 Clément Martin
Also in 21-man squad
12 Elliott Whitehead
26 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet
30 Giovanni Decalzi
HULL FC
6 Will Pryce
2 Harvey Barron
5 Tom Briscoe
20 Davy Litten
22 Lewis Martin
1 Jordan Rapana
7 Aidan Sezer
8 Herman Ese’ese
9 Amir Bourouh
40 Liam Knight
3 Zak Hardaker
4 Ed Chamberlain
16 Yusuf Aydin
Subs (all used)
17 Jack Ashworth
25 Denive Balmforth
27 Matty Laidlaw
39 Sam Eseh
18th man (not used)
19 Brad Fash
Also in 21-man squad
14 Cade Cust
24 Jack Charles
33 Will Hutchinson
Tries: Ese’ese (11), Martin (20), Pryce (39, 64), Litten (54), Briscoe (68)
Goals: Sezer 5/6
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-10, 0-16; 0-22, 0-28, 0-34
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Dragons: Ben Garcia; Hull FC: Aidan Sezer
Penalty count: 6-7
Half-time: 0-16
Referee: Liam Moore
Attendance: 8,235
