Huddersfield Giants coach Ian Watson not surprised to see players get better of Catalans Dragons

Two tries from Aussie veteran second-row Chris McQueen were the difference between the teams in a contest played in heatwave conditions in the south of France.

Huddersfield were full value for their 14-12 half-time lead and their defence held firm after the break, giving Watson some relief before this week’s crucial bottom-of-the-table clash with Wakefield Trinity.

“It wasn’t a shock to me, or the players either,” said a jubilant Watson.

“We’ve done it tough this season but that’s what makes days like these so special.

“What is important now is that we take this type of performance into our next game, and the one after that.”

Centre Kevin Naiqama was first to score for Huddersfield, but the Dragons hit back with two tries for winger Tom Davies, either side of a McQueen touchdown.

Just in front at the interval, McQueen struck the killer blow with his second try in the 61st minute and an Olly Russell penalty sealed the win for the Giants.

Watson added: “I’ve been saying all of the time that we have a good group of players it’s just that we’ve had a hell of a lot of adversity.

“The boys never lost faith, it’s just not been going their way.

“Other than the Leeds game which went terribly, and I don’t want to focus on that now, the biggest thing for us has been our team performances and that today was absolutely outstanding from one to 17.

“We were more than well up for this game and put that kind of performance on, and try to right a few wrongs.

“The boys will take a lot of enjoyment out of tonight, and take that winning feeling forward, it will give them confidence.

“The things we have been doing have been the right things but we just weren’t consistent enough but today from one to 17 everybody was pretty consistent in doing their job.”

Catalans Dragons coach Steve McNamara admitted his side had been “awful” in the second half.

“We were very disappointing tonight – we were beaten in most areas of the game and second best all night and we have got to find the reasons for that,” he said.

“We managed to stay in the game in the first-half but after the break we were awful. We were looking for a response and we never got it.

“It was a flat performance and the opposition worked harder, moved quicker, tackled harder and ran faster. They got the basics right, the things we’ve been doing pretty well so far this season.”