Super League: Catalans 16-10 Warrington - Hosts hang on to edge win over Wire

Catalans Dragons opened their Super League campaign with a narrow win over Warrington Wolves in Perpignan.

The hosts led 6-4 at the break thanks to a Jordan Abdull try, improved by Arthur Mourgue, to an unconverted early try from teenage debutant Aaron Lindop.

But France international Mourgue himself added a second try and three goals to stretch his side clear.

Wire crossed again through Matt Dufty, converted by Josh Drinkwater, but they could find no more to force a draw.

Catalans played the whole of the second half a man short following another red card for former Wigan and England hooker Micky McIlorum.

But Warrington's indiscipline and inability to capitalise on that red card proved to be their undoing as new boss Sam Burgess was forced to start his Super League coaching career in defeat.

Burgess gave debuts to 17-year-old Lindop, Sam Powell, Lachlan Fitzgibbon and Zane Musgrove, although he went without club captain Stefan Ratchford, who had been declared fit to play after a calf problem but was not selected.

Wire were first on the scoreboard when they switched the ball to the right with a sweeping series of passes for Lindop to touch down with a spectacular corner-flag try.

But Abdull collected a loose pass over the line to level in the 38th minute before Mourgue's conversion put Catalans narrowly in front 6-4 at the break.

The second half started dramatically when McIlorum, who had triggered a scrap earlier when he seemed to go in high on Toby King, was red carded for a high shot on Joe Philbin.

But Catalans went further ahead with an easy penalty from Mourgue, who then went one better with a 50th-minute try when he split the Wire defence from short range on the right.

Having added another conversion to make it 14-4, the visitors hit back with a fast-handling midfield drive, from which Duffy went over and former Catalans star Drinkwater converted to make it 14-10 with 15 minutes left.

But, after numbers were levelled when loose forward Jordan Crowther was sin-binned for shoulder contact to Romain Navarrete's head, Mourgue converted a closing penalty with seven minutes left.

Catalans, missing captain Ben Garcia with a hamstring strain, gave debuts to six players - Abdull, Theo Fages, Tariq Sims, Chris Satae, Jayden Nikorima and Bayley Sironen.

Catalans coach Steve McNamara:

"It was such a tough game. Some brutal contacts. Both coaches will be happy with their teams.

"We deserved it but that was a hard, hard game for round one and I'm so pleased we got through it.

"We managed to soak it up and come out the other side and that's big credit to the players and strength and conditioning staff."

Warrington coach Sam Burgess:

"We probably lost a bit of our discipline in the second half and we didn't handle their red card as well as they did.

"I'm happy with the effort, disappointed with the result. We probably didn't match our intensity in the second half but it's a great marker for round one.

"It's a really hostile pace to come, a fantastic atmosphere here in the south of France but Aaron Lindop took his opportunity well and, while there may be some things he's upset with, he has shown what a brilliant player he's going to be."

Catalans: Mourgue; Davies, Romano, Ikuvalu, Johnstone; Abdull, Fages; Navarette, McIlorum, Bousquet, Sims, Seguier, McMeeken.

Interchange: Nikorima, Sironen, Satae, Dezaria.

Sent off: McIlorum (41)

Warrington: Dufty; Lindop, King, Wrench, Ashton; Williams, Drinkwater; Harrison, Walker, Musgrove, Currie, Fitzgibbon, Crowther.

Sin-bin: Crowther (68)

Interchange: Vaughan, Philbin, Dudson, Powell.

Referee: Chris Kendall.