Two defeated sides from Round One, the Catalans Dragons and Huddersfield Giants had an appointment in the south of France for an early season four-pointer. Both sides took an opening weekend beating, the Dragons at the hands of Castleford and Huddersfield at home to Salford.
The Giants are still injury ravaged and went into the game without six first teamers, while the Dragons were without David Mead who has returned home to Papua New Guinea on family business.
On paper this was a walkover for the home side, but could the Giants spring a surprise.
It was a fighting start from the Giants who took the game to the Dragons and forced a goal-line drop-out before Grix went close. On six minutes new signing Matt Frawley made the most of a penalty when he was second reciever as the Giants hit the line at speed with a passing move. Isaac Farrell kicked the conversion for a 6-0 lead.
After pressuring the Huddersfield line Brayden Wiliame pounced on a pinpoint Michael McIlorum grubber kick to score the Dragons opening try on seventeen minutes. Sam Tomkins converted brilliantly from the touchline to level the scores.
Within a minute Whitley stole the ball in the tackle and passed to Tony Gigot who in turn found Wiliame to go over in the corner as the Giants players appealed a penalty. Tomkins was again accurate with the boot from wide for a 12-6 lead.
An interference penalty gifted Tomkins a simple penalty goal on the half hour mark.
On thirty-six fast feet from Lewis Tierney grabbed the Dragons third try of the afternoon, wrongfooting the last tackler to drop over the line. Tomkins hit the far upright with his conversion attempt as the ball bounced back into play, the Dragons taking an 18-6 lead into the break.
Two minutes into the second half the Giants were penalised for a shoulder tackle and Tomkins accepted the invitation to kick the penalty goal to further extend the lead.
On forty-four Isaac Farrell was helped from the field to add to the Giants injury woesbut despite his departure the Giants doubled-down and thwarted the Dragons attack.
The defence remained solid up until the sixty seventh minute when a high kick was allowed to bounce, hacked forward by Tomkins and regained off the body of a Giants defender allowing the Dragons full-back to go five metres to score, improving the angle and making his own kick a formality. The Dragons had a twenty point lead with ten minutes remaining.
On seventy-two Oliver Roberts pounced on a Frawley grubber to touch down for the Giants second try of the game. Darnell McIntosh hit the post with the conversion attempt, the visitors behind by 26-10.
Matty Smith completed the scoring with a drop goal a few seconds from the final hooter to seal a 27-10 win.
There was plenty of effort from the Giants but the lack of first team personnel cost them dear as the Dragons put in a determined winning performace for their first points of the season. Sam Tomkins was the on-field general for the home side with a personal tally of fourteen points but there is plenty of class in the Dragons side, once they start firing on all cylinders.
Dragons: Tomkins (T, 5G), Wiliame (2T), Langi, Whitley, Tierney (T), Gigot, Smith (DG), Simon, McIlorum, Moa, Edwards, Jullien, Casty. Subs: Bousquet, Da Costa, Goudemand, Baitieri.
Giants: Grix, McIntosh, Wardle, Turner, Uate, Farrell (G), Frawley (T), English, O;Brien, Matago, Murphy, Mellor, Lawrence. Subs: Leeming, Roberts (T), Ikahihifo, Walne.
Referee: Tom Grant.
Half-Time: 18-6.
Full-Time: 27-10.
Attendance: .
