This Saturday in Newcastle, the Super League launched its 18th Magic Weekend. The Catalan dragons opened the event with a defeat against Leigh 26-24 after a 100 % Catalan start and a 12-0 which suggested something else.
The Magic Weekend setting in Super League sauce did not die. The high mass of the competition found St James’ Park after a disappointing edition in Elland Road. If the sun played hide and seek with the clouds, the dragons were not content to observe. In any case, they played the room drivers with 20 large minutes during which ils have dictated good and evil. Except that to win a competitor in the first places, it takes more. A recurrence this year with a team unable to produce 80 large minutes.
A premium to realism therefore, in this start of Magic Weekend for the Catalan dragons, who had all the balloons during the first five minutes. It was still necessary to convert this domination. Théo Fages, at the foot, found in Matthieu Laguerre the perfect finisher. The Center des Dracs has scored its fourth try of the season, this time opposite the Niu – Charnley duo, armed to destabilize any opponent in their path. Leigh, between clumsiness and bad choices, only delayed the second blade carried by the Catalans. A 100 m test started by Tariq Sims, before seeing Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet make a festival in the defense of leopards without hook. This test finally showed the English that the pure Catalan product was the phenomenon that rises. Journalists also accepted the idea that “Gap” took over from Arthur Mourgue without any complex and efficiently. But the show did not last. “You cannot win by chaining so many mistakes and lacking tackles”noted the hooker Alrix da Costa, frustrated and annoyed to have seen the wind turn, when his trainer pointed the finger at the “Defense faults”
After their start to the almost perfect, the dragons were guilty of two blunders in their 20 meters, between Fouad Yaha and Matthieu Laguerre (11 on the meeting). Two lost possessions which left Leigh in the blow and which, in the end, were sanctioned by two tests. Benjamin Garcia (adductors) has been released on injury (21st) weighed in the scale.
Two errors and two tests of Leigh!
By taking the scoring, the Dracs measured that the path leading to the sixth success of the season would still be long. Especially since Leigh played his forces, with heavy loads. Once the work of undermining has been undertaken, Edwin did iPape, straight, in force, and despite two Catalan defenders around him. Then, Ben McNamara rushed behind the outfit without being embarrassed. Ragging, but as against Wakefield, the Sang and Gold conceded two tests because of defense faults. Individual errors that allowed Leigh to return to the break (12-14).
Steve McNamara’s words found echo as soon as the recovery is recovered. Defense was more airtight on man. But this part intended to be indecisive has seen the two teams go blow for blow. Reimis Smith passes the line for the third Catalan test, and Ethan O’Neill flies the ball to Nick Cotric for equalization (18-18, 50th). The two points of the transformation of Aispuro-Bichet, which hit the post, will in the end. Leigh, pragmatic, was fed by Catalan faults as in the first half. A penalty, 25 minutes from the term, saw Leigh take the scoring for the first time, they who were led 0-12 and who did not touch Earth. A rescue of Reimis Smith on Andrew Badrock (61st) delayed the inevitable deadline for too clumsy dragons in front of their line. A ball lost by Pangai, a failed Whitehead tackle, and Trout offer six points to his family 16 minutes from the end. Cruel, but so logical, as the Dracs have still shown a detrimental inconstancy. It is precisely when this team seems to be at the end of the race that she reacts as a team. An intelligent foot pass from Théo Fages allows Luke Keary to bring his own back to two small points (69th). Annoyed by two penalties whistled against them, the dragons failed to enter Leigh’s camp to conclude. The arbitral decisions whistled at the end of the game annoyed blood and gold which lost their lucidity (65 % of completed channels), despite the efforts of Luke Keary and Théo Fages.
The success that seemed to be taking shape very early in the game finally changed camp. Leigh wins for the second time of the season against dragons mentally affected by this meeting with strong emotions and where frustration rarely reached this season.
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