Super League: Catalans Dragons crumble at the hands of Wigan in Perpignan with Liam Marshall starring
Adam Keighran, Sam Walters, Kruise Leeming, Junior Nsemba, and Harry Smith all crossed the line for Wigan in victory over Catalans Dragons; Sky Sports will show every game of Super League live this season
Last Updated: 24/05/25 8:56pm
Catalans Dragons' season continues to unravel after losing their coach Steve McNamara, with the latest defeat Saturday's 48-0 hammering at the hands of Wigan.
The visitors showed no mercy to the Dragons with a swashbuckling stint in the south of France sunshine, led by lightning winger Liam Marshall.
Les Dracs, under interim coach Joel Tomkins, had no answer to Wigan's pack superiority and pace and even though they were missing several senior players to injury it seems unlikely the Dragons' losing streak will end soon.
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Captain Ben Garcia, Sam Tomkins, Tommy Makinson, Nick Cotric and props Julian Bousquet and Tevita Pangai Junior were all missing injured and Wigan went to town as Catalans crumbled.
Eleven French players were in the Dragons' 17 including a debut for highly-rated youngster Clement Martin on the wing.
For Wigan, Ethan Havard returned to the team for the first time this year after tearing a hamstring pre-season.
Things started according to script as a loose carry from Catalans' Tariq Sims gave Wigan possession and space to put full-back Jai Field on a 40-metre race to the line, Adam Keighran converting for 6-0 after just four minutes.
Catalans kicked the restart over the touchline and put Wigan back on the offensive, then lost their first captain's challenge early in the game when they questioned a high shot on Luke Thompson and Keighran added the penalty for 8-0.
Wigan went into overdrive when winger Liam Marshall exploded on a 30-metre dash to release substitute Sam Walters for the Warriors' second try, again converted by Keighran.
Marshall went one better with an 90-metre sprint for a dazzling solo try, Keighran's boot clocking up 20 unanswered points for the Warriors.
A brief rally led by Luke Keary was all Catalans could muster before the half-time hooter blew to halt any further progress from the visitors.
Sam Walters failed to return from Wigan's interval dressing room with a painful lower left leg injury but Bevan French put the visitors on the front foot with a 40-20 kick which put Jake Wardle in position for a dazzling sidestepping break, finished off by Kruise Leeming and ending the game as a contest.
Junior Nsemba was next over the line, trampling over Cesar Rouge from short range then Marshall scored his second with a walk around the defence in the 62nd minute.
Keighran stretched the game to the other side of the pitch with a 60-metre dash to put French over the line then scrum-half Harry Smith collected a clever pass from Wardle to score in the left corner.
Tomkins: McNamara sacking a 'shock' for everyone
A disappointed Catalans interim coach Joel Tomkins said: "It was difficult today, we are playing against the best team in the league with a fully fit squad and they are playing really well.
"We are not at that level at the minute. We are missing some of our better players and Wigan right now are a better team than us.
"We are not good enough to compete at that level right now. I thought the first half was good for us in general, we were OK.
"In the second half we got fatigued and made some defensive errors and poor calls and that's what I mean.
"We are not at the level of those top teams at the minute. We have got some hard work to do to reach the same level as Wigan and Hull KR.
"We'll start work on Monday, we'll go again and we need to improve for Hull FC.
"The players have got to decide whether they feel sorry for ourselves or do they want to come in and work hard for next week.
"You're always down on confidence when you are losing games.
"We've potentially got Nick Cotric and Tommy Makinson back next week."
Tomkins said it had been a difficult week at the club, losing coach Steve McNamara suddenly on Tuesday.
He added: "It was a shock for everybody. I have been in a similar situation a long time ago as a player and the players have done a good job, turning up to training with intensity.
"We came into this game with a clear focus and a plan and we'll try and do the same thing again next week."
Sky Sports will again show every game of Super League live this season - including two matches in each round exclusively live, with the remaining four matches each week shown on Sky Sports+ via the red button.
