'We got beat to the punch': Huddersfield Giants wilt in heat of battle as Catalans Dragons roar

Catalans retain distant hopes of the play-offs after they ended a seven-game losing run with a 32-0 win.

Leo Darrelatour went over for a pair of tries for the hosts at Stade Gilbert Brutus with Sam Tomkins, Clement Martin and Alrix Da Costa also crossing. Tommy Makinson added five conversions and a penalty.

For Huddersfield, it was a flat performance as they failed to build on the impressive win at Warrington seven days earlier.

Giants coach Luke Robinson felt his side lacked fight for the battle as they suffered a 14th defeat in 16 Super League outings.

Robinson said: “It’s a very simple game, rugby league, and we shouldn’t overcomplicate it. If you don’t win the physical battle then you’ll always be on the back foot and I thought they beat us to the punch from the start.

“We’ve never really questioned the players’ effort this year but today physically we got beat to the punch.

“They started harder than us, they tackled harder than us, they put us on the back foot throughout.

“Look, you can make loads of excuses about the travel and the heat but it’s the same for both sides.

“I was really disappointed in the way that we went after the first period of the game and I thought we were chasing our tails from then on, particularly energy-wise.

“It’s myself and the boys who go out on the field and put in the same performances as we did last week and the week before.

“We didn’t do that today. Effort and desire from each and every one of them so far this season has been really good but tonight I just felt like we lost that physical battle.”

Catalans interim coach Joel Tomkins said: “I’m really, really pleased, we’ve been looking for a performance like that for the past couple of weeks.

“Hopefully this is a turning point, that is the plan and if we turn up with that effort and attitude week-in week-out. We still have the goal of making the play-offs.”