Catalans 56-10 Whitehaven: Jodie Broughton scores Dragons hat-trick
Last Updated: 12/05/18 8:19pm
Catalans Dragons outclassed Whitehaven to advance to the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup quarter-finals with a 56-10 victory on Saturday.
Jodie Broughton scored a hat-trick of tries, while Mickael Goudemand had a debut to remember with a brace as Super League quality told against League 1 Whitehaven.
Vincent Duport also touched down late on to score his 86th try for Catalans and move level with Clint Greenshields as their all-time leading try-scorers.
The hosts were quickly out of the traps, Samisoni Langi retrieving a loose ball before Broughton touched down in the right corner. Josh Drinkwater missed the conversion attempt.
Whitehaven were struggling to settle and Broughton got in again in the fourth minute to score a carbon-copy of his first try. Drinkwater again saw his conversion attempt drift wide as the score remained 8-0.
Catalans had their third try inside the opening 10 minutes, Michael McIlorum darting over from short range for his first try of the season. Drinkwater again failed to add the extras.
From the restart a Drinkwater knock-on gifted Whitehaven the opportunity to attack the Catalans line.
The ball was sent out to the left and Parker charged over the top of Lewis Tierney to score. Dan Abram added the conversion to halve the deficit.
That score breathed life into Whitehaven, who found their footing and worked their way into the game.
In the 19th minute the ball was again worked out to the left to David Thompson, who dived over in the corner. Abram's conversion attempt hit a post, but the underdogs were back within two points.
But that was as close as they got as Drinkwater and Goudemand both touched down from short range before the break, with Drinkwater adding both goals to give the hosts a 24-10 lead at half-time.
Antoni Maria extended the Catalans' lead eight minutes into the second half, Drinkwater's conversion giving the Super League outfit a 20-point advantage.
On the hour Tony Gigot sent Julian Bousquet over from close in before Goudemand scored his second of the day.
Drinkwater, who had now clearly found his range, converted both efforts to take the score to 42-10.
Catalans were in no mood to let up and Broughton sealed his hat-trick with 13 minutes remaining, although this time Drinkwater was unable to add the conversion from close to the touchline.
There was still time for Duport to bring up his record-equalling try and with it the half-century of points for Catalans, Drinkwater adding the goal.
And at the death Gigot followed up Alrix Da Costa's break to round off the scoring.
