Early Catalans onslaught sinks scoreless Salford

Betfred Super League

Catalans (18) 20

Tries: Rouge, Romano 2 Goals: Mourgue 4

Salford (0) 0

Catalans caught Salford cold in Perpignan with three tries in the opening half-hour to move above them in the fight for Super League play-off places.

The Red Devils have lit up this season's competition with their bright attacking displays but they were lethargic and uninspired in the face of a Dragons side who have now won three games in a row.

Arthur Romano went over for two tries and Cesar Rouge got the other to halt Salford's run of four straight wins and knock Paul Rowley’s side’s back to sixth.

Salford stemmed the tide with an improved second-half defensive display and a succession of errors but they never looked like breaching the Catalans line and ended a game scoreless at the Stade Gilbert Brutus for the second successive season.

Having lost 42-0 in the south of France a year ago, maybe that was on Salford minds as they began sluggishly in front of their 1,000 travelling fans, not helped by the continuing absence of key attacking players Tim Lafai and Nene Macdonald.

By contrast, Catalans were champing at the bit and were ahead inside six minutes as Rouge, despite being spun in the tackle and falling awkwardly over the line, got enough downward pressure to satisfy a rigorous video review.

After Matt Ikuvalu was denied a brilliant second try by a marginal offside early in the move, Catalans struck again when a kick by former Salford man Theo Fages opened up the defence and Fouad Yaha’s kick was touched down by Romano.

France international Romano then rammed home Catalans’ superiority, racing onto a Rouge grubber kick after some half-hearted Salford defence.

The Red Devils were further hindered by the loss of forward Loghan Lewis for the second half following a head injury assessment, and they failed to find any spark throughout an uneventful match.

Catalans were happy to defend their lead and Arthur Mourgue took his tally to four successful kicks from four by slotting over a penalty that killed any hopes of a Salford fightback.

Arthur Romano's first-half double put Catalans Dragons in charge against Salford Red Devils

Catalans coach Steve McNamara:

"First half we had lots of energy, we looked excited to play, with or without the ball, and we got the scoreboard going. But the second half there were so many errors.

"We've won three games straight and we've got ourselves back in the frame and beat two teams who were sat above us in the last two weeks so we're pretty pleased.

On this week's sacking of Tonga forward Siua Taukeiaho, New Zealand stand-off Jayden Nikorima and France prop Damel Diakhate:

"We've got the opportunity to replace players in terms of salary cap and quota spaces but it's complicated in terms of who is available and the business we have already done for next year.

"We set certain standards at this organisation which we are really proud of. If you fail to adhere to them there is a punishment. I don't like it, I don't like the whole situation but it happened and we had to deal with it."

Salford coach Paul Rowley:

"We got pushed around and bullied a bit but Catalans can do that when they get on top. It was our job to stop them and we couldn't do that.

"Catalans offered us enough opportunities to do some damage but we didn't have the conviction to go through with it.

"We missed our centres for sure but basically you've got to run hard and tackle hard. Catalans did that but they were allowed to. They got ruck control and ruck speed too easily and vice versa, we didn't. It happens sometimes.

"You can't do things on your own and in a tough spot, in heat like this, you will suffer. We knew what was coming but the choices we made would determine the outcome and while individually everybody tried, we certainly weren't connected."

Catalans: Mourgue, Davies, Romano, Ikuvalu, Yaha, Rouge, Fages, Navarrete, McIlorum, Bousquet, Sims, Sironen, Garcia

Interchanges: Da Costa, Seguier, Satae, Dezaria

Salford: Brierley, Ryan, Stone, Hankinson, Cross, Atkin, Sneyd, Singleton, Mellor, Lewis, Wright, Watkins, Partington

Interchanges: Bourouh, Vuniyayawa, Shorrocks, Dudson

Referee: Aaron Moore.