Two off as Catalans beat Hull on Tomkins return

Betfred Super League

Catalans (14) 24

Tries: McIlorum, Tomkins, Garcia, Davies Goals: Mourgue 4

Hull FC (6) 16

Tries: Tuimavave, Walker, Martin Goals: Charles 2

A Sam Tomkins-inspired Catalans Dragons beat Hull FC to move up to fourth in Super League after both sides played most of a highly charged game with 12 men.

The hosts had Tariq Sims sent off inside eight minutes for a swinging arm on Ed Chamberlain, and Hull’s Ligi Sao followed him nine minutes later for a high tackle on Tomkins.

Michael McIlorum and Tomkins crossed and Arthur Mourgue booted three goals, with Carlos Tuimavave replying, as Catalans led 14-6 at the break.

Jack Walker cut the deficit to two points, but Ben Garcia and Tom Davies secured an important win for Catalans despite Lewis Martin's late score.

Catalans were far from their best, but a ninth home win of the season lifts them above Salford and St Helens into fourth - four points above seventh-placed Leeds - to boost their hopes of a top-six finish.

Second-bottom Hull remain winless on the road this season and four points above London Broncos.

Tomkins takes top billing in incident-packed opening

Sam Tomkins scored a try just 23 minutes into his return from retirement

Former England captain Tomkins, 35, attracted plenty of attention after his surprise decision to come out of retirement, and he wasted no time in grabbing the headlines.

In the opening 25 minutes, the two-time Man of Steel winner had been involved in one try, scored another and was the victim in Sao’s sending off.

It took him less than three minutes to make an impact when a less-than-vintage chip kick caused havoc and McIlorum showed good skills to dribble the loose ball over the line and touch down.

A calf injury forced off second-rower McIlorum soon after, and the Airlie Birds were given another huge boost when Sims was sent off for catching Chamberlain and then attempting to pick up the grounded winger.

And when Tomkins spilled the ball, Tuimavave broke away into Catalans territory and from the next play the Samoan centre finished a flowing move to level.

But Hull quickly threw away their man advantage when Sao also saw red for "dangerous and direct" contact with Tomkins’ head, and Mourgue booted the hosts back in front from the resulting penalty.

If Tomkins had shown a little rustiness, he reverted to customary creativity after 23 minutes as a show-and-go created a gap to snipe through for his 161st Super League try.

Both depleted sides struggled for fluency in sapping conditions, but Hull closed the gap to two points early in the second half when Walker collected a loose ball to cross unchallenged after Denive Balmforth's break.

Yet Catalans restored their eight-point lead when Garcia barged over under the posts.

Hull, who stunned Wigan last time out in an improving campaign, continued to push, but their resistance was broken when the hosts moved the ball wide to give Davies a walk-in.

Hopes were raised again when Martin collected a high kick to bring the visitors within eight points with five minutes left, but when Charles skewed the conversion attempt wide, the game was up.

'I was gassed at the end' - reaction

Catalans full-back Sam Tomkins on his return from retirement:

"I’m busted. The knee feels fine, it’s my lungs that are the problem. I was gassed there at the end.

"But what a great feeling to get back out there with your team-mates at this special place.

"It was an ugly game but they all count and it’s great to see French supporters singing again."

Catalans coach Steve McNamara:

"I thought we started great, we looked in attack and defence that we were in for a big, smooth and controlled performance, we were in sync with each other.

"Then Michael McIlorum pulled his calf five minutes in and we lost him, then we got a red card and it made things difficult.

"We were clearly the better team but our inability to maintain pressure and the errors we made and penalties we gave away prevented us from scoring a lot more points.

"Sam Tomkins came off frustrated because he’d made some errors, and that’s just the player he is. But his voice and his vision and ability to coach other players on the field, you can’t put a price on it and it’s difficult to see it visually.

"It was a big, big effort from him to come back after so long in a 12-man team."

Hull coach Simon Grix:

"They’re a very good side, Catalans, and I’m pleased we took them close but in fairness they probably deserved to win.

“Sam (Tomkins) is a very smart player and his experience shone out there, he was very influential in the game.

"We came up with far too many errors and the damage was done in the early stages of the game."

Catalans: Tomkins, Davies, Romano, Laguerre, Ikuvalu, Mourgue, Fages, Navarrete, McIlorum, Bousquet, Sims, Sironen, Garcia.

Interchanges: Satae, Dezaria, Aispuro-Bichet, Wallace.

Red card: Sims (8).

Hull FC: Walker, Barron, Tuimavave, Sutcliffe, Martin, Trueman, Charles, Ese'ese, Smith, Sao, Lane, Chamberlain, Aydin.

Interchanges: Balmforth, Fash, Gardiner, Vuniyayawa.

Red card: Sao (17).

Referee: Liam Rush.