Super League: Catalan Dragons 42-0 St Helens

Australian winger Michael Oldfield took his tally of Super League tries for Catalans to 11 for the season

Super League leaders St Helens were on the wrong end of a battering as they wilted to an eight-try defeat by Catalan Dragons in Perpignan.

After leading only 8-0 at half-time through scores from centre Vincent Duport and winger Mike Oldfield, six of the tries came in the final 24 minutes.

Australian Oldfield completed his hat-trick, while Duport added another try.

Hooker Ian Henderson, scrum-half Thomas Bosc, who kicked five conversions, and winger Daryl Millard all crossed too.

Two of Super League's top try scorers, Dragons full-back Morgan Escare and Saints winger Tommy Makinson, who both have 14 tries to their name this season, were up against each other.

But, on a day when former Saints stand-off Leon Pryce was up against his old club, it was Oldfield, who took his season's tally to 11, and Duport who got the glory.

Saints, who remain top by a point, were without Kiwi half-back Lance Hohaia at the Stade Gilbert Brutus, as his wife was due to give birth.

The hosts opened the scoring on eight minutes when Bosc's high kick was knocked on by Makinson, allowing Duport to collect and touch down in the corner.

But, just two minutes later, Makinson had a try controversially ruled out when Paul Wellens' pass was adjudged to have travelled forward.

Duport's first try going unconverted, the score remained 4-0 right up to the 38th minute, despite the video referee being called up on a further four occasions, when, on a last-tackle play, Pryce launched a bomb to the right corner and Oldfield outjumped Matt Dawson to score.

St Helens looked the more dangerous side after the break, denied only by last-gasp tackles from Pryce and Warrington old boy Louis Anderson.

But it was the Catalans who extended their lead on 56 minutes when Duport shrugged off a challenge to race under the posts, Bosc adding his first conversion to take the score to 14-0.

Just after the hour mark, the Dragons sealed victory, Henderson powering over from close range after good work by Wigan old boy Jeff Lima - and then came four tries in the final 12 minutes.

Eloi Pelissier scooted away down the short side, flicking the ball inside to Ben Pomeroy who raced clear, drew the cover and passed inside to the supporting Bosc who crossed for the try of the night - his 1,000th point for the Dragons in Super League.

Two minutes later, Anderson broke clear before passing inside to Escare who offloaded to the supporting Bosc, who threw a long pass out to the right, allowing Oldfield to step inside and score in the corner.

Millard then scored under the posts before Saints' misery was compounded with 20 seconds remaining when Oldfield completed his treble.

Catalan Dragons: Escare; Oldfield, Duport, Pomeroy, Millard; Pryce, Bosc; Elima, Pelissier, Lima, Taia, Whitehead, Baitieri.

Replacements: Henderson, Anderson, Paea, Garcia.

Sin Bin: Pelissier (80).

St Helens: Lomax; Makinson, Turner, Jones, Dawson; Wheeler, Walsh; Masoe, Roby, McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Soliola, Flanagan, Wellens.

Replacements: Manu, Walmsley, Percival, Thompson.

Sin Bin: Walmsley (80).

Attendance: 7,276.

Referee: James Child (RFL).