MATCH REPORT: London Broncos 12-10 Catalans Dragons

LONDON BRONCOS V CATALANS DRAGONS (by David Ballheimer)

London Broncos (6) 12, Catalans Dragons (0) 10

London Broncos produced easily their best and most dominant defensive performance of the season as they shocked the Catalans Dragons 12–10 at the Cherry Red Records Stadium. Just the second win of the season, it was heart-stopping stuff as the Dragons came close to snatching a victory they didn’t deserve.

London fans, at half-time, dared to dream of a famous victory as they led 6–0 and the advantage really should have been double that. But there were still 40 minutes to go and that Dragons could, surely, not produce another performance as listless at the one they had delivered.

The Broncos started well and, on the back of two penalties, had cracks at the Catalans line, but the defence held firm. When the Dragons got a repeat set 10 metres from the London line, an errant pass was knocked on, but London, despite a penalty at the scrum, couldn’t capitalise, a grubber kick rolling dead in goal.

When Dragons enjoyed a spell of pressure, they were repelled by a sturdy defence that didn’t look like being breached even by the giant replacement forwards Jordan Dezaria and Tevita Satae.

The first clear scoring chance of the game came in the 34th minute when Josh Rourke made a break. He had support to his left with only Sam Tompkins in front of him. The full-back tried to take on his legendary opposite number and was brought down by a textbook tackle and the chance went begging.

However, on the Catalans’ next possession, Satae knocked on near to the halfway line. Two repeat sets and a penalty followed, before Jacob Jones crashed into the line, was brought to his knees and was able to stretch over the line between the uprights. Ollie Leyland turned four points into six.

It took less than a minute of the second half for the Broncos to be put under extreme pressure. Fouad Yaha stormed towards the line, but Rourke came over and did just enough to force the winger to put a foot in touch before he ground the ball, the video referee going with the on-field official’s “no try” call. Two minutes later, Alrix Da Costa tried to go over on a last-tackle play, but was ruled held up, another decision the video referee confirmed.

Relief came from a couple of penalties for London, but the Catalans’ goal-line was never really threatened in the first ten minutes. Try-scorer Jones was injured eight minutes after the resumption and went off for a two-minute green card injury assessment, but London were down to 12 men and in that time Jarred Bassett made a magnificent try-saving tackle on Guillermo Aispuro-Biche, finished off by Rourke. The move, after a penalty, ended with a kick into the in-goal area, but it rolled over the side-line before Tom Davies could get close to it.

Dragons ramped up the pressure, picking up two penalties on the same possession and they had a full set starting 10 metres from the London line. This time there was no stopping Catalans and Jarrod Wallace forced his way over the line between the sticks. Arthur Morgue tied things up.

London’s responded immediately. Dean Perata, Rourke, Will Lovell and Ugo Tison passed the ball around and it came to Leyland who made a dart through the line. Aispuro-Biche dragged him down but, in doing so, pulled Leyland away from the approaching Tompkins. With his ball-carrying arm off the ground, Leyland got the ball to Bassett, who had a free run to the line. After a review, Leyland improved the score. 

A brilliant kick from Jack Campagnolo, near the end of the next possession, saw Bassett kick the ball away from Tom Davies, Leyland gathered and sent Sadiq Adebiyi towards the line. Three tacklers including Theo Fages and Tompkins did just enough to deny the forward his moment of glory.

Bassett made another inspired tackle to stop Davies before, with 12 minutes remaining Leyland produced a 40–20 that was nearer a 30–10, but Bassett was tackled into touch eight seven metres out. Maybe this would have been the time for a drop goal to take the lead to seven points, two scores. Catalans went straight downfield led by Bayley Sironen’s clean break. After the set restarted a diagonal kick from Tompkins picked out Yaha, who wrestled the ball away from Lee Kershaw and touched down in the corner. Morgue’s kick, to tie the game, drifted wide.

The two-point lead was defended desperately by the Broncos, and seven minutes is an age in these circumstances. Rourke caught one bomb from Tompkins, now at stand-off when the Dragons had the ball, and was flattened by Fages the instant he touched the ground. When they went on the attack, the field goal was not really an option – but field position was crucial.

With just less than two minutes remaining, Tompkins put up a gigantic bomb. Rourke rose highest and caught the ball cleanly and was immediately hit in mid-air. It was an obvious penalty, duly awarded. London took their time in finding a very safe touch and played their most conservative set of the season before kicking into touch. 

There were 40 seconds remaining, but London would not be denied their glory. After a pass forced Davies backwards inside his own half near the right touchline, the hooter sounded. Davies kicked into open space down the opposite side where there was a three-on-two in the Dragons’ favour. As cover came over, the ball came loose, prop Rob Butler lashed the ball into touch with a solid boot and raised his arm in triumph.

London Broncos: 23 Josh Rourke, 2 Lee Kershaw, 12 Ethan Natoli, 3 Jarred Bassett, 4 Hakim Miloudi, 20 Oli Leyland, 6 Jack Campagnolo, 19 Rhys Kennedy, 9 Sam Davis, 15 Marcus Stock, 11 Will Lovell, 17 Sadiq Adebiyi, 13 Dean Parata. Replacements: 8 Rob Butler, 2! Robbie Storey. 29 Jacob Jones, 34 Ugo Tison. 19th man: 19 Jack Hughes.

Tries: Jones (37), Bassett (61)

Goals: Leyland 2/2

Catalans Dragons: 29 Sam Tompkins, 2 Tom Davies, 30 Guillermo Aispuro-Biche, 4 Matthieu Laguerre, 5 Fouad Yaha, 7 Theo Fages, 1 Arthur Morgue, 16 Romain Navarette, 14 Alrix da Costa, 10 Julien Bousquet, 15 Bayley Sironen, 12 Paul Seguier, 13 Benjamin Garcia. Replacements 17 Cesar Rouge, 23 Jordan Dezaria, 20 Tevita Satae, 33 Jarrod Wallace. 18th man: 28 Frank Maria. 

Tries: Wallace (58), Yaha (72)

Goals: Morgue 1/2

Referee: James Vella

HT: 6–0

Penalty awarded count: 9–7

Attendance: 1,900