Quins thrash Catalans in friendly

[carlnz]

Harlequins began their new life on a high note with a resounding 46-6 victory over Catalans Dragons in a pre-season friendly on Saturday.

The Super League side, newly-branded after their previous life as London Broncos, ran in nine tries to one.

Mark Gafa was the top scorer with two tries and five conversions while fellow centre Tyrone Smith also bagged a brace of touchdowns in France.

Scrum-half Thomas Leuluai scored the game's first try.

The match at Stade Municipal St Esteve marked the culmination of a fortnight's training camp for Harlequins, who fly back to London on Sunday to continue their preparations for the new campaign. Super League new boys the Catalans, who chose not to play New Zealand scrum-half Stacey Jones, have a second friendly against Hull at the KC Stadium next Sunday.

 

[carlnz]

at Stade Municipal St Esteve watched by a crowd of around 4,000.

 

[screeny]

4000 is good, and I wouldn't be at all concerned about the result. RL is such an emotional game played on a knife edge that when something like compo points are not up for grabs tries will be leaked.

Getting hammered could be good for them in fact.

 

[morri (cWo)]

lol gafa and tyrone smith.

ur right screeny. this could do them well.

 

[Copa]

 

[Copa]

 

[Mr_Ugly]

Good crowd for a trial!

Cheergirls look a bit overdressed.

 

[Stevo_G]

never though i'd see the day when a rugby league team would have harlequins jersey

 

[Sharkie™]

the Quins jersey is soooo crap and the catalans look like a billboard for maccas

 

[phonetic]

The Catalans jersey is awful. I don't mind the Quins though, something different for League. Socks are good.

 

[ParraDude_Jay]

lol gafa and tyrone smith.

Tyrone Smith is a great young player in Super League, he also starred in a game between Samoa and another country (I forget the team) just recently. I have no idea why you'd laugh about him starring in the game.

Glad to see Gafa did well, I was worried when Quins signed him but hopefully he gets some of the form he showed in 2004 back. And also good to see Leuluai get through the game well.

Also smashing the Catalans like that is very encouraging considering how tight the top 6 race will be

And as for the jersey.. yeah pretty ordinary :lol:. But the deal with Harlequins RU is worth them having to wear the awful thing.

 

[***MH***]

the Quins jersey is soooo crap and the catalans look like a billboard for maccas

They borrowed Ronalds socks!

 

[morri (cWo)]

Tyrone Smith is a great young player in Super League, he also starred in a game between Samoa and another country (I forget the team) just recently. I have no idea why you'd laugh about him starring in the game.

i thought it meant ex canberra, balmain etc. or did he retire?

 

[rugby13france-livrade+sav]

Sorry to disappoint you, on the French forums the spectators for the game write no more than 2.000 spectators in the St Estève stadium.

Where is the truth ?; is it here or on French forums ?

 

[Copa]

Sorry to disappoint you, on the French forums the spectators for the game write no more than 2.000 spectators in the St Estève stadium.

Where is the truth ?; is it here or on French forums ?

I saw 7 people and a goat given as the crowd figure on one RL forum. Where is the truth? Was it one goat or was it 8 people?

 

[Evil Homer]

i thought it meant ex canberra, balmain etc. or did he retire?

Nope,Tyrone Smith ex Sydney Roosters.21 year old Tongan(or Samoan,can't remember) heritage centre with lots of potential.

 

[Mr_Ugly]

i thought it meant ex canberra, balmain etc. or did he retire?

I think your thinking of Tyran Smith, and yes he retired (last year from memory)

 

[jed]

Yeah, Tyran retired at the end of last season, although he's had an injured neck for the last few years, has barely seen any game time in any grade.

 

[morley101]

Tyronne is the brother of Wallaby George.

 

[winnyason]

whether a trial or not piss poor effort from catalan dragons, harlequins will look for more consistant play, when they are hot they can beat any one in superleague, there combinations of mclinden & dorn, along with it manly conection of solo, heckenburg, randall, bradley qulilana along with emerging england talent paul sykes, they could be a dark house this year, & tyrone smith a real talent.
as for catalan for starters get a coach, the uncertainy of who will coach can not help the mindset particlarly of the french players, the current 5 eight frassinyous is sh*t, this politics with gresque is a joke, with a forward pack that contains chan, beattie, gussiet, fakir, hindmarsh, mounis & bertezene should hold there own are they there for a holiday, the backline is a big problem for catalan like the test team.
sure these frechmen can play on the 2 or three big matches out of there skin for there country, but can they play consistant 30 games of high quality football.
i say no just like the warriors in the first five years these guys will take a while to adjust, i am not expecting a top 6 finish out of catalan for them to be right up there the likes of gresque & ferriol need to play for them.