Betfred Super League
Leigh Leopards (6) 16
Tries: Niu 2, Senior Goals: Cook 2
Catalans Dragons (6) 22
Tries: Wilson, Staines, Dodd Goals: Sexton 5
Catalans Dragons bounced back with a hard-fought victory over Leigh Leopards, ending a two-match Super League losing streak.
Tries from Harvey Wilson, Charlie Staines, and Lewis Dodd revitalized the Dragons following disappointing losses to St Helens and Bradford Bulls in their previous encounters.
In contrast, Tesi Niu’s two impressive tries for Leigh, alongside a score from Innes Senior, were ultimately insufficient for the home team.
Leigh is now facing a three-match Super League losing streak and must elevate their performance to re-enter the playoff conversation this season.
A mechanical issue with the Dragons’ plane from Perpignan forced an emergency landing in Bordeaux, significantly delaying their arrival in Greater Manchester to 16 hours.
Adding to their woes, winger Tommy Makinson was injured during the warm-up and had to be replaced by Leo Darrelatour.
In the eighth minute, Leigh capitalized on a strong play from Lachlan Lam, leading to Gareth O’Brien finding Senior, who set up Niu for a well-crafted try. Adam Cook successfully converted from the touchline.
Catalans fought back as Lam was penalized for obstructing Nick Cotric during a high ball challenge, giving Wilson the chance to dive in for his first Super League try of the season.
Before halftime, Catalans nearly took the lead, but Darrelatour was unable to stay in bounds while attempting a score in the corner.
Tesi Niu of Leigh capped off a brilliant team play to score first [SWpix]
Shortly after the restart, Toby Sexton gave Catalans a narrow lead with a penalty after Liam Horne was caught stealing the ball.
A stunning offload from Kruise Leeming, a Wigan Warriors loanee, enabled Sexton to advance before setting up Staines for a well-executed try.
Leigh quickly responded, with O’Brien finding Niu, who assisted Senior for a straightforward score in the corner.
A careless no-look pass from Lam was seized by Darrelatour, who sprinted 80 yards before recycling the ball for Dodd to score Catalans’ third try.
In a standout moment, Niu demonstrated great skill in the 65th minute, collecting the ball deep in his own half, evading Cotric, and using quick footwork to score a dazzling individual try.
As the match neared its conclusion, Leigh intensified their efforts for a winning try, but the Dragons’ staunch defense held firm. Sexton secured the win with his fifth successful kick just before the final whistle.
‘We lacked the club’s DNA’ – reactions
Leigh head coach Adrian Lam spoke to BBC Radio Manchester:
“It’s frustrating again tonight. We created plenty of opportunities to win but it felt like luck eluded us throughout the game.
“Key moments like the intercept try were critical—if we’d executed properly, we might have won. That’s particularly galling.
“We worked hard, but our game-sense was lacking. It’s been tough to watch at times; we struggled to string together effective attacking sets.
“We had only 19 players available, but that shouldn’t be an excuse. We need to rediscover the core identity of our club.
“Our inability to score when it matters is a departure from last year’s performance, and we have a long way to go to get back to our best.”
Catalans Dragons head coach Joel Tomkins said to Sky Sports:
“I’m incredibly proud of the team. Despite a challenging journey, their resilience and teamwork shone through, earning us a deserved victory.
“While we face some injuries, we boast a committed squad willing to put in the effort for each other. Their hard work will yield results.
“This week, we had some honest discussions. If we maintain performances like tonight, the season will be enjoyable.”
On the travel issues faced by his team: “It isn’t ideal preparation, but our travel averages eight to ten hours for away games. That’s simply part of being with Catalans, a unique group enjoying life in the south of France while competing in the English Super League. We won’t complain; we embrace it as a bonding experience. Considering our approach, we may charter connecting flights for future away matches.”
Leigh Lineup: O’Brien; Senior, Niu, Brand, Charnley; Cook, Lam; Trout, McNamara, Mulhern, Halton, Alick-Wiencke, Liu.
Substitutes: Hughes, Brown, Badrock, Horne.
Catalans Lineup: Staines; Darrelatour, Cotric, Faataape, Laulu-Togaga’e; Sexton, Dodd; Allen, Da Costa, Navarrete, Laguerre, Lipowicz, Wilson.
Substitutes: Satae, Condon, Leeming, Chan.
Referee: Marcus Griffiths.