Catalan shock Saints to top Super League

super league: Catalan Dragons snatched a dramatic 32-34 victory at Langtree Park, coming from 26-8 down and scoring the winning try with the last move of the match, to go top of Stobart Super League for the first time in their seven-year history.
By The Newsroom
Published 25th Feb 2012, 08:34 BST

Saints were in complete command when they led by 22 points after 44 minutes but the French outfit roared back with three tries in eight minutes to cut the gap to just four points.

In a sensational finish, St Helens centre Gary Wheeler scored his second try to restore his side’s eight-point lead but the never-say-die Dragons finished the stronger, scoring the all-important try after the final hooter through centre Daryl Millard.

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It meant a happy return for Leon Pryce, who scored 73 tries in 160 appearances for St Helens but was mostly subdued until calling on his vast experience in the Catalans’ comeback.

It took Saints just three minutes to open the scoring, with winger Jamie Foster gathering the ball from Lee Gaskell’s grubber kick to touch down.

The Dragons levelled when Remi Casty shrugged off the attempted challenge of Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook to touch down but Saints came back with tries from Anthony Laffranchi, Wheeler and Tommy Makinson.

Foster’s fifth goal made it 26-8 but the French side were far from finished and set up a tense finish with a scoring burst of three tries in eight minutes via Damien Blanch, Vincent Duport and Dureau. Wheeler went over for Saints, but tries from Setaimata Sa and Millard, plus Dureau’s conversion, secured a shock win.

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