Catalans cruise past Giants to end losing streak

Betfred Super League

Catalans Dragons (20) 32

Tries: Darrelatour, Keary, Tomkins, Martin, Da Costa Goals: Makinson 6

Huddersfield Giants (0) 0

Struggling Catalans Dragons ended a seven-match losing streak with a thumping win over Huddersfield Giants.

It was a first success for interim head coach Joel Tomkins, and his brother Sam played a key role in temperatures of over 38C (100F) in Perpignan.

Leo Darrelatour, Luke Keary and Tomkins scored first-half tries, with two more added after the interval from Clement Martin and Alrix da Costa in Catalans' biggest victory of the season.

The French side stay ninth in Super League, while Huddersfield remain second bottom in 11th after a 14th defeat in 16 games in the competition this season.

Catalans have been on a miserable run since the end of April, going out of the Challenge Cup and slipping down the league table in a run which included the departure of long-standing head coach Steve McNamara.

But in sweltering conditions near the Mediterranean, they dominated the Giants from the off.

Jake Bibby dropped a high kick and from the resulting scrum, Catalans worked it for centre Darrelatour to score the first try off the first tackle from a clever pass from Keary.

And they went further ahead when three-time NRL winner Keary touched down a smart low kick from half-back partner Cesar Rouge.

A bit of magic from Tomkins capped a fine first 40 minutes for the hosts as the 36-year-old full-back showed his class to hit a great line and dodge any defenders on his way to score.

Traditionally so strong at the Gilbert Brutus Stadium, Catalans had only won three of their eight home games before this in 2025, but this was more like it.

Catalans' try-scorer Luke Keary was an NRL winner with South Sydney Rabbitohs and Sydney Roosters

Huddersfield had won seven days ago away to Warrington Wolves and were chasing successive victories for the first time since April 2024.

They were sapped of energy and intensity, and when they finally built up some pressure early in the second period, Catalans held them out.

And 20-year-old Martin took advantage of a bad error from Giants full-back George Flanagan to score his first try in only his second Super League game, while hooker Da Costa grabbed the fifth and final try in the last few minutes.

Having failed to score for the second time this season, Huddersfield will have to recover quickly ahead of their next match at Castleford Tigers on Thursday, but Catalans will look to back up this result when they travel to Wakefield Trinity on Saturday.

Catalans Dragons interim coach Joel Tomkins said:

"I'm really, really pleased, we've been looking for a performance like that for the past couple of weeks.

"Hopefully, this is a turning point. If we turn up with that effort and attitude week-in, week-out, complete high, and we put the ball into the corners, we've got a chance."

Huddersfield Giants coach Luke Robinson said:

"It's a very simple game, rugby league, and we shouldn't overcomplicate it. If you don't win the physical battle then you'll always be on the back foot, and I thought they beat us to the punch from the start.

"You can make loads of excuses about the travel and the heat but it's the same for both sides.

"I was really disappointed in the way that we went after the first period of the game. I thought we were chasing our tails from then on, particularly energy-wise."

Catalans Dragons: Tomkins; Cotric, Martin, Darrelatour, Makinson; Keary, Rouge; Navarrete, Da Costa, Maria, Sironen, Seguier, Partington.

Interchanges: Pangai Jr, Bousquet, Dezaria, Balmforth.

Huddersfield Giants: Flanagan; Gagai, Halsall, Milne, Jake Bibby; Lolohea, Frawley; King, Woolford, Powell, Rushton, Greenwood, Cudjoe.

Interchanges: Golding, English, Burgess, Rush.

Referee: Cameron Worsley.