Sam Tomkins returns to mastermind Catalans Dragons’ big win over Featherstone Rovers

CATALANS DRAGONS 46 FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 18
STEVE BRADY, Stade Gilbert Brutus, Saturday

FEATHERSTONE’S hopes of Wembley glory this year rest upon the 1895 Cup after they bowed out bravely in Perpignan from the senior knockout competition against a powerful Catalans side with points to prove.

The return of Sam Tomkins from a hamstring injury sustained in the previous round of the Challenge Cup at Halifax in February gave Les Dracs drive and direction from fullback and he controlled the game from start to finish, scoring 18 points with ball and boot.

Fev were flustered before setting off for France when Jayden Hatton had to pull out of the trip through illness and Bailey O’Connor was drafted into the squad.

The return from pre-season suspension of Connor Wynne gave coach Paul Cooke options among the halves; Caleb Aekins switched to scrum-half with Calum Turner stepping in at fullback and Fev were still in contention until a second-half scoring spree for the home team.

However, the writing was perhaps on the wall when winger Nick Cotric slipped a clever pass to Paul Séguier to cross for the first try of the game on three minutes.

Tomkins hit the post with the conversion attempt but he was bang on target with a series of high kicks in the opening exchanges, putting Turner under immediate pressure close to his own line.

But the next score came from the halfbacks as César Rougé – in for Arthur Mourgue at scrum-half – putting his number six Luke Keary over the line after a clever break through the defence, with Tomkins on target this time with the kick for 10-0.

Rovers’ captain Danny Addy tried to steady the ship from the middle of the pitch, accompanied by some brave and noisy vocal support from the 300-or-so Fev fans in the stands, though discipline was an issue with successive penalties and a six-again conceded giving Catalans a lift they didn’t necessarily need.

But on their first credible attack of the game, Fev struck gold with substitute Jordan Williams carving a clean break through the defence, scoring against the flow of the tide and Turner adding the conversion.

The Dragons responded immediately when Oliver Partington crossed from a Tomkins kick, but he knocked-on before grounding over the line.

Then Keary forced Fev into a drop-out from beneath their posts, and on the next set Cotric scored after more industry from Tomkins who couldn’t convert from wide and the half-time hooter blew on 14-6.

The Dragons flexed their muscles immediately on the restart with a powerful burst and try by the posts from Tevita Satae, converted by Tomkins, then winger Fouad Yaha got in on the act to the noisy applause of his many French fans in the Guasch Stand.

Tomkins added the two this time and Catalans were out of sight at 26-6 in the 50th minute, the mercurial fullback chip-chasing and dashing between the posts for the next score of the game – and adding two more points with the boot – then doubling up with a try and a goal moments later following a dummy-kick run.

Centre Reimis Smith finished a sweeping passing movement with a try on 67 minutes but Featherstone weren’t flying home without a final fling when Wynne landed an audacious double-try strike with eight minutes remaining, going length-of-the-field for his second, Turner converting both.

But Catalans had the last laugh with Cotric crossing for his brace right on the final hooter in a breathtaking finish.

GAMESTAR: Sam Tomkins would be just as competitive in a game of tick-and-pass with his kids in Perpignan park as in any cup or league game and he was back at his imperious and combative best at the Brutus.

GAMEBREAKER: Tevita Satae’s cameo prop’s push and plant beside the posts just after half-time put an end to any hopes of a Rovers revival.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Connor Wynne’s length-of-the-field strike five minutes from the end (and just two minutes after his first try) had Fev fans throwing their flat caps into the French night sky.

MATCHFACTS
DRAGONS
1 Sam Tomkins
22 Fouad Yaha
23 Matthieu Laguerre
4 Reimis Smith
5 Nick Cotric
6 Luke Keary
18 César Rougé
8 Tevita Pangai Jnr
9 Ben Garcia
10 Julian Bousquet
19 Paul Séguier
12 Elliott Whitehead
13 Oliver Partington
Subs (all used)
3 Arthur Romano
14 Alrix Da Costa
15 Tevita Satae
16 Romain Navarrete
18th man (not used)
20 Jordan Dezaria
Also in 21-man squad
7 Arthur Mourgue
11 Tariq Sims
26 Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet

Tries: Séguier (3), Keary (9), Cotric (38, 80), Satae (41), Yaha (50), Tomkins (53, 58), Smith (66)
Goals: Tomkins 5/9

ROVERS
22 Calum Turner
2 Derrell Olpherts
3 Carlos Tuimavave
24 Bailey O’Connor
23 Connor Wynne
13 Danny Addy
1 Caleb Aekins
10 James Beckett
9 Will Jubb
19 Robson Stevens
11 Brad Day
20 Josh Hardcastle
17 Clay Webb
Subs (all used)
14 Connor Jones
21 Jordan Williams
25 Jack Arnold
5 Gareth Gale
18th man (not used)
26 Jonny Openshaw
Also in 21-man squad
4 Jayden Hatton
14 Connor Jones
15 Sitaleki Akauola