Super League: Catalans Dragons 32-18 Leeds Rhinos - Hosts hold off spirited fightback
- Published
Fouad Yaha has scored 20 tries in Super League this season
Betfred Super League |
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Catalans (28) 32 |
Tries: Yaha 2, Chan, Pearce, Dudson, Langi Goals: Mourgue 4 |
Leeds (6)18 |
Tries: Walters, Myler, Dwyer Goals: Martin 3 |
Catalans Dragons battled past stubborn Leeds Rhinos to end their run of six successive wins.
Fouad Yaha crossed twice to reach 100 career tries and Joe Chan, Mitchell Pearce and Gil Dudson all went over in a dominant first 40 minutes.
Richie Myler added to Sam Walters' first half score in the opening minutes of the second half to give Leeds hope.
Brad Dwyer's try put them within 10 with 13 minutes to play, but Samisoni Langi left the result beyond doubt.
Defeat for Leeds has set up a "win and in game" against fellow play-off chasers Castleford on the final day of the regular season on Saturday 3 September.
Catalans, who blew a 30-6 lead to lose at home to the Rhinos last month, are now guaranteed fourth place.
The Perpignan side have now won successive matches for the first time since May and could look to rest players for their last game of the campaign at Wigan on Saturday.
Leeds showed plenty of grit to get themselves back in the game after a first half when they were in danger of being swept aside, but ultimately it was too big a mountain to climb.
They will now look to build on that second half showing in their play-off decider against the Tigers.
Catalans coach Steve McNamara:
"We showed some patience and really strong defence tonight.
"We lacked some quality in our last two performances, and we did a professional job tonight but put that little bit of extra quality into it and it paid off.
"We have secured top four and play-offs for the past three seasons now. For a club that has been labelled as inconsistent, the last three years has shown that we have found some consistency.
"We're disappointed we're fourth, not first or second, but it shows that there is some really strong progression being made by this club and the game in France."
Leeds coach Rohan Smith:
"It's all or nothing now. It's us or Cas. It's as simple as that.
"It's up to us to go into that game with the right preparation.
"If you'd have said four months ago we'd be playing for a play-off spot you'd have been all over that.
"Tonight we were beaten by the better team. But we've been playing well for months, we just need to find a more polished performance."
Catalans: Mourgue, Davies, Whare, Langi, Yaha, Pearce, May, Garcia, Chan, Whitley, Seguier, McIlorum, Napa.
Interchanges: Dudson, Da Costa, Goudemand, Kasiano.
Leeds: Hardaker, Tindall, Sutcliffe, Martin, Briscoe, Sinfield, Myler, O'Connor, Tetevano, Gannon, Walters, Leeming, Oledzki.
Interchanges: Dwyer, Prior, Mustapha, Bentley.
Referee: Robert Hicks.
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