Dragons too hot for Tigers

Greenshields: Scored one of the Dragons' 10 tries

Catalan Dragons ran in 10 tries on their way to a 54-20 victory over Castleford at Stade Gilbert Brutus.

Victory consolidated the French side's position in the top five and they look firmly on course for a return to the play-offs after missing out last year.

Early pacesetters Castleford look as if they are beginning to feel the pace although they remain in the top eight with a four-point cushion over joint ninth-placed Salford and Bradford.

There were two tries apiece for Lopini Paea and Frederic Vacari for the hosts, while Steve Menzies, Damien Blanch, Scott Dureau, Clint Greenshields, Jason Baitieri and Jean Phillipe-Baile all crossed, while Dureau kicked seven goals.

Richard Owen scored two tries for the visitors, with Dean Widders and Richie Mathers also touching down.

The hosts could have scored as early as the fourth minute through Baile but a minute later Menzies went over on the right following good work from Ian Henderson, Dureau and David Ferriol.

Dureau could not add the extras and the Tigers hit back when a smart move involving Danny Orr, Ryan McGoldrick, Rangi Chase and Jordan Thompson saw Richard Owen squeeze in at the left corner.

Dixon added the goal to give the Tigers the lead, but that was as good as it got for the visitors as the Dragons scored three tries in four minutes.

In the 19th minute, the home side re-took the lead through Paea following good work by Dureau and Sa. Dureau converted to extend the lead to 10-6.

The Tigers could not get a touch of the ball over the next five minutes, and the Dragons took advantage by scoring two further tries.

The first from the re-start was an early contender for try of the season as Paea fed Daryl Millard, who handed the ball on to Frederic Vaccari.

He was supported by Greenshields, who in turn handed the ball onto Menzies.

Menzies created space for Baile to feed Blanch, who touched down in the corner.

Dureau's conversion attempt went over off the post.

The second came when a Dureau kick was charged down by Castleford but collected by Paea.

Surged

He surged forward then fed an inside pass to Dureau, who showed superb footwork and pace to beat Mathers and Owen to score.

Dureau converted his own try to increase the lead to 22-6.

With six minutes remaining of the first half, Greenshields managed to roll out of a Widders tackle to score. Dureau just failed this time with his conversion attempt.

But Widders made amends for his error moments later when he went over in the right corner, taking Dureau over with him for good measure. Dixon missed the conversion to leave the Tigers trailing 26-10.

It got no better for the Tigers after the break when first Jason Baitieri, then Vaccari and then Baile all went over inside the first 10 minutes of the half.

With two Dureau goals added, the lead was extended to 42-10.

In the final 30 minutes there was time for second tries for Paea, who charged on to a Dureau pass, and Vaccari after more superb play from Millard, with Dureau converting both.

A late try from Mathers, a second for Owen and one further conversion from Dixon were very much consolation scores for the Tigers.