Super League: Wigan Warriors 22-46 Catalans - Johnstone hat-trick helps Dragons move top
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Tom Johnstone made it 18 tries for the season with his treble, including this spectacular finish
Betfred Super League |
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Wigan (8) 22 |
Tries: Wardle, French, Miski, Marshall, Smithies Goal: Smith |
Catalans (24) 46 |
Tries: Tomkins, Johnstone 3, Whitley 2, Mourgue, Romano Goals: Mourgue 7 |
Catalans Dragons thrashed Wigan to leapfrog Warrington at the top of the Super League on points difference with an exquisite attacking performance.
Winger Tom Johnstone ran in a hat-trick, back-rower Matt Whitley scored two, while Sam Tomkins, Arthur Mourgue and Arthur Romano also crossed.
Jake Wardle, Bevan French, Abbas Miski, Liam Marshall and Morgan Smithies scored Wigan's tries.
Yet they struggled for a platform as Catalans' big pack bossed the middle.
Even with full-back Jai Field back in their side, it was a disappointing afternoon for the Wigan fans housed in the Leazes End at St James' Park - not that you would know it as they chanted, sang and beat their drum throughout this crushing defeat.
Field's return had little overall impact, as Matt Peet's Warriors were missing several injured forwards and their patched up - and in places inexperienced - replacements were overrun by Steve McNamara's fired-up Dragons.
Sio Siua Taukeiaho and ex-Warriors front-rower Roman Navarette, ably assisted by the giant Mike McMeeken running just wider, drove Wigan back again and again, and when they tired, Julian Bousquet and Paul Seguier provided fresh legs.
On the back of the heavy industry, artisan class told, with Mourgue's hot-stepping, the craft and brains of Mitchell Pearce and Tomkins, and the finishing ability of Johnstone racking up the points.
Johnstone showed his dexterity to dot down in the corners, and leapt like Michael Jordan to grab his second with a towering claim.
They battered and hustled Wigan's right-edge defence, with Whitley and Romano both scoring from crash balls, while Mourgue's effort was all about sharp touches and footwork.
Wigan were never really in the game after Wardle's fine try on the left edge, but their scores from French and Miski showed glimpses of their sparkling edge attack.
Miski's try was a possible eight-point score given Catalans' indiscipline, but Harry Smith's first attempt went wide, leaving him with one from five on an off day with the boot.
Warrington could return to the top when they face Hull FC on Sunday, but Catalans will sit atop the summit for at least 24 hours.
Catalans Dragons coach Steve McNamara:
On Tom Johnstone: "His highlights reel will be from today, clearly his finishing and the tries that he scores, but his all-round game has been superb for us all season.
"I'm really pleased for Tom. He's had a couple of dreadful years with injuries and there was an opportunity for us to get him and he's just been great since day one.
"He's a great kid, works really hard, does some of the tougher stuff really well as well, some of the carries that he won't get recognition for, but the team really appreciate."
On Magic Weekend: "It gives you that feel of a big game, a final or semi-final type scenario. You get to prepare differently for this type of game and particularly against a team like Wigan, where it's second versus third, we knew the importance of the game.
"It was great practice for us to prepare and win big games. For 65 minutes we were really ruthless in what we did and how we went about it. But the last 15 minutes gave us a reminder - if you don't get some of those basics right in the big games, teams can come back and score."
Wigan head coach Matt Peet: "We were particularly poor today and were beaten to the punch in every area I think. Our core skill was poor and some of our defence was sub par.
"Today was a big event, the lads are gutted, we let ourselves down.
"Catalans were excellent, very clinical, played with lots of enthusiasm and they've got some class players. I think that's shown an insight into what they're capable of."
Wigan: French; Miski, King, Wardle, Marshall; Field, Smith; Ellis, Powell, Byrne, Smithies, Farrell, Shorrocks
Interchanges: Cust, Mago, Hill, Nsemba
Catalans: Mourgue; Johnstone, Ikuvalu, Romano, Yaha; Pearce, Tomkins; Taukeiaho, McIlorum, Navarette, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia
Interchanges: Bousquet, Dezaria, May, Seguier
Referee: Liam Moore.