Super League: Sam Tomkins the hero as Catalans Dragons stun St Helens 12-6 to reach Grand Final
Retiring Catalans Dragons full-back Sam Tomkins got the game-clinching try as they beat St Helens 12-6 to reach the Super League Grand Final; The win ended Saints' bid to win five Grand Finals in a row and brought the curtain down on James Roby's stellar career
Last Updated: 07/10/23 7:25am
Sam Tomkins got the game-clinching try to keep his hopes of a fairy-tale ending to his career alive as Catalans Dragons reached the Betfred Super League Grand Final with a 12-6 win over St Helens.
Just two points separated the sides at the break in front of a record Super League crowd at Stade Gilbert Brutus, with Adam Keighran's long-range penalty in the 29th minute the only score of the half.
The Dragons had a possible score from the competition's joint-leading try scorer Tom Johnstone chalked off by the video referee too, but there was no doubt when Will Hopoate went over for the first try 10 minutes into the second half to give Saints the lead.
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Two more Keighran penalties, the second of which came after a yellow card for Matty Lees, drew Catalans level with 15 minutes left and then it was retiring full-back Tomkins who snatched victory at the death with a stunning solo try, ending St Helens' bid to win five Grand Finals in a row and bringing the curtain down on fellow modern great James Roby's 20-year career too.
Story of the game
Catalans had looked clueless for long periods, despite edging a gruelling first half, in which Keighran's 29th-minute penalty provided the only score.
The visitors may have felt aggrieved not to be further in front, when Jonny Lomax's failure to deal with a clever grubber kick from Mitchell Pearce in the 18th minute appeared to let Johnstone in to slap down for the opening try, but referee Chris Kendall ruled it out for a push in the process.
A below-par Saints side had defended deeply and largely succeeded in sucking the life out of a Catalans attack despite never really finding top gear.
Sione Mata'utia's loose pass left Jon Bennison stranded in one of the visitors'few chances of an opening, while a hint of a chance for Lomax was superbly snuffed out by Matt Ikuvalu.
Both back-lines continued to reign supreme in the opening exchanges of the second half until Catalans finally cracked in the 48th minute.
Matt Whitley lost the ball running straight into Lomax, and from the next set Jack Welsby's clever short pass sent Hopoate jinking through a gap for the opener.
Lewis Dodd sent Saints four clear and the visitors were in no mood to surrender their hard-earned advantage as they largely succeeded in suffocating Catalans' attacking intent.
It was no surprise that Catalans opted instead to rely on the boot of Keighran, and it was to Saints' cost that they coughed up the errors that hauled the hosts level.
Keighran reduced the deficit to 6-4 after Johnstone was taken high in the 65th minute, and scored again nine minutes from time when his same team-mate was pinned down in a promising position by Lees, earning the Saints prop a spell in the sin-bin.
As nerves jangled, Catalans pushed forward and tried in vain to set Tomkins up to kick a point before the 34-year-old typically chose to win it his way and seal his dream date at Old Trafford.
What they said
Player of the match Sam Tomkins
"What an ending! It was a tough game against a quality side, but I thought the determination was good and the intensity in our defence was pretty remarkable at times.
"It was hot, it was sweaty, but we got there in the end."
Catalans Dragons head coach Steve McNamara
"For Sam to do that at the end, it was an incredible effort from him.
"The game was such a hard game for both teams and they must be distraught, Saints are a champion team.
"I wasn't quite so sure with 15 minutes to go, but now we're there and we've got to compete and win a Grand Final."
St Helens head coach Paul Wellens
"It was very cruel. There are a lot of emotions going on right now and I'm hugely disappointed because I thought we could come here and get a result.
"A some point this run was going to end and we hoped it wouldn't be tonight, but if it was going to end then a group of men dying for each other was the way to end it.
What's next?
Catalans Dragons now face the winner of Saturday's semi-final between Wigan Warriors and Hull Kingston Rovers on Saturday (12.45pm kick-off, live on Sky Sports) in the Super League Grand Final on Saturday, September 14 (6pm kick-off).
