Les Catalans in Challenge Cup Final!

[quins rl]

Whata boost for the game in France (and UK funnily enough!) this should be,downing the once mighty Wigan to reach the challenge cup final against St Helens,brilliant !!:woot:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/6912181.stm

[DIEHARD]

http://www.journauxdumidi.com/kiosque/lindependant/images/defaut_grande.jpg

Catalans Dragons 37-24 Wigan

Wigan get to grips with Catalans Dragons forward Jason Croker
Catalans: (24) 37
Tries: McGuire, Wilson, Mogg, Duport (2), Croker
Goals: Jones (6)
Drops Jones

Wigan: (6) 24
Tries: Leuluai, Higham, Goulding, Calderwood
Goals: Richards (4)

Catalans Dragons became the first French side to reach the Challenge Cup final thanks to a stunning upset of Wigan at the Halliwell-Jones Stadium.

Mick Potter's underdogs raced into an amazing 22-0 lead inside 20 minutes with tries from Casey McGuire, John Wilson, Adam Mogg and Vincent Duport.

The Warriors hit back after the break to reduce the deficit to seven points.

But Jason Croker's try from a Stacey Jones kick sealed victory for the Dragons and booked a trip to Wembley.

They will face St Helens on 25 August after the holders defeated Bradford 35-14 on Saturday.

The Dragons had suffered a 30-0 humiliation at Wigan last month but they made a mockery of their Super League form to make a whirlwind start.

Centre Adam Mogg, who has played State of Origin for Queensland, created one try for McGuire after three minutes and, after Wilson had gone over, touched down himself.

Duport then grabbed his first try before Wigan pulled a try back through scrum-half Thomas Leuluai six minutes before the break.

Stacey Jones, who kicked three of his four conversion attempts in the first half, nudged his side into an 18-point half-time lead with a penalty.

Tommy Leuluai scores Wigan's first try towards the end of the first half
And when Duport grabbed his second try within eight minutes of the re-start, Jones added his second touchline conversion to extend his side's lead to 31-6

Stuart Fielden, who was substituted just 20 minutes into the tie, made an immediate impact on his return, offloading from the tackle for hooker Micky Higham to score a try.

Then, after Jones had been sin-binned for stopping Wigan taking a quick drop-out, Wigan stepped up the tempo .

Darrell Goulding made use of the extra man to go over on 63 minutes and Mark Calderwood brought the crowd to its feet four minutes later with a sensational length-of-the-field try.

Pat Richards added both difficult conversions to cut the deficit to just seven points.

But seconds after returning to the field, Jones put in a perfect kick for Croker to score the match-clinching try.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------Catalans Dragons: Greenshields, Duport, Wilson, Mogg, Khattabi, McGuire, Jones, Chan, Quigley, Guisset, Raguin, Croker, Mounis.
Replacements: Ferriol, Griffi, Gossard, Touxagas.

Wigan: Richards, Calderwood, Bailey, Vaealiki, Colbon, Barrett, Leuluai, Fielden, Higham, Paleaaesina, Hock, Fletcher, O'Loughlin.
Replacements: Prescott, Hansen, Goulding, Mcllorum.

Referee: S Ganson (St Helens).

Source: BBC

[DIEHARD]

I am positively buzzing with this result. A high water mark for Les Catalans and French rugby league. Justification for their inclusion in Super League.

Getting to the Cup Final is terribly difficult, it being a knock out competition.

I will be cheering on Les Catalans with all my heart. They are the new kid on the block in the Euro Super League so they share a lot of affinity with our Titans.

Seeing these new teams have such successful seasons is heart warming, it isn't only great for the clubs and fans, but for the health and future of rugby league.

GO LES CATALANS!!!

[Hoppy2007Dragons]

Barrett must be carrying a siants voodoo with him.

Interesting to note the side with more aussies in it won. lol :p

[HodgoBerro]

ALLEZ LES CATALANS!

Good work to them - looking forward to seeing the final. (at last i can look forward to seeing a dragons game!)

Good work to Mogg (adam who?) Jones and McGuire.

[quins rl]

You can see some post-match reactions from a couple of the Aussie players(plus Stacey Jones)here....
http://news.bbc.co.uk/player/sol/newsid_6920000/newsid_6921400/6921468.stm?bw=nb&mp=wm&news=1&ms3=6