Dragons fired up
Catalans Dragons shrugged off the speculation surrounding the future of coach Mick Potter to overcome Featherstone Rovers 22-12 in the fourth round of the Carnegie Challenge Cup.
Potter is set to decide as early as next week whether or not he will remain with the side he coached to last year’s final or become Daniel Anderson’s replacement at St Helens - the coach and team that beat him at Wembley eight months ago.
Regardless of what his decision might be, his current side made sure of their place in Tuesday’s fifth-round draw after seeing off a spirited performance from Co-operative National League One side Rovers.
The Post Office Road side - coached by 1983 Lance Todd Trophy winner David Hobbs - have come a long way since being beaten 70-12 by the same opposition at the same stage a year ago and, had prop Stuart Dickens converted their tries, a shock could have been on the cards.
Despite the win, the engage Super League high-flyers were made to toil hard throughout and found themselves behind at one stage before a flurry of three quick first-half tries eased their worries.
The home side had done well to soak up some strong early running from their visitors and hung on long enough to allow Tommy Haughey to break through and feed Waine Pryce for his eighth try of the season with 16 minutes gone.
The Catalans soon hit back though, as Justin Murphy edged over following a pass from Vincent Duport, who then grabbed a brace of tries himself to make his side comfortable at the break.
The first came off a neat Adam Mogg pass and the second after some strong running from Dane Carlaw overpowered the Featherstone defence. Thomas Bosc kicked two of the three conversions from the touchline.
Bosc’s form in Catalans’ unbeaten run, which now stands at seven games, has been superb and it was the class of his half-back partnership with Mogg that began to swing the game in Catalans’ favour.
To their credit, though, Featherstone began the second period in fine style and scored two tries in the half, albeit with a score from Mogg in between, to spark thoughts of a comeback.
Former Leeds centre Andy Kirk was the first to slip in, as he picked up the ball after a slick break and kick ahead from Andy Kain left the Catalans’ defence exposed.
Duport then scythed his way down the right to hand Mogg a walk-in try, before Featherstone roared back again with Pryce’s second try.
Tommy Saxton - a winner with Hull FC in 2005 - had already gone close twice with some neat work from the hooker position, before Kain and Kirk combined again to send ex-Castleford Tigers winger Pryce diving over in the corner.
Dickens failed to convert for a third time before Bosc slotted a penalty to ease the visitors’ nerves and see them home.
