Catalans Dragons edge Toulouse in rain-soaked French derby
Catalans Dragons claimed French bragging rights in Super League with a narrow derby win at Toulouse, ending a four-match losing streak that included a 60-18 thrashing from their rivals earlier this season. The victory marked Catalans’ second success from three meetings between the sides this campaign and lifted them to eighth place, six points outside the play-off positions.
Heavy rain in south-west France turned the contest into a slugfest after Toulouse had scored 23 tries across their previous three victories. Veteran winger Tommy Makinson grabbed two tries while Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet added the other, with the full-back also kicking three goals to secure the points.
Toulouse, who lost star full-back Olly Ashall-Bott to injury during the match, fell just short of a fourth successive Super League win. Romeo Tropis and Joe Cator crossed for the hosts, but defeat left them ninth in the table, four points behind their French rivals.
After an early Jake Shorrocks penalty for Toulouse, Makinson won an aerial contest ahead of Ashall-Bott and slid over on the greasy surface. Aispuro-Bichet then broke from full-back to extend the lead before Tropis reduced the deficit early in the second half.
Makinson restored an eight-point cushion after a looping pass from Toby Sexton, and though Shorrocks’ goal cut the gap to six, Aispuro-Bichet immediately cancelled it out with a penalty. Cator’s try as the hooter sounded came too late to change the outcome.