Huddersfield Giants 18-38 Catalans Dragons: Visitors add to injury-hit hosts' woe with Super League victory

Catalans Dragons posted a dominant Super League victory at Huddersfield Giants on Sunday

Catalans Dragons inflicted a seventh straight Super League defeat on depleted Huddersfield with a 38-18 win at the John Smith's Stadium.

The Dragons fell behind to Giants full-back Jacob Gagai's early try, but hit back with first-half scores from Tariq Sims and Leo Darrelatour to lead 14-6 at half-time.

Second-half tries from Julian Bousquet, Bayley Sironen, Paul Seguier and Tevita Pangai Junior kept the visitors in control, while bottom club Huddersfield went down fighting and scored further scores through centre Jake Bibby and wing Sam Halsall.

The Giants, beset by injuries since the season started, lost four more players before the Catalans' visit, with half-back Tuimoala Lolohea, forward Harry Rushton, plus props Matty English and George King all ruled out.

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With fewer than five minutes on the clock, Giants prop Fenton Rogers hobbled off - replaced by Bibby - having sustained an injury in a collision following a ball carry.

Huddersfield made light of that early setback as full-back Aidan McGowan and centre Liam Sutcliffe were both held up just short of the line.

It was a spirited start by the home side and they were rewarded in the 17th minute when full-back Gagai squirrelled over for the opening try, converted by Sutcliffe.

The winless Giants' lead was short-lived though as Catalans second row Sims won the race onto stand-off Luke Keary's kick ahead to touch down, with Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet adding the extras to tie the score at 6-6.

Huddersfield were then dealt yet another injury blow when Ashton Golding was withdrawn due to a head knock - he returned in the second period - and they fell behind soon after.

Bayley Sironen was among the try-scorers for Catalans at the John Smith's Stadium

Catalans wing Darrelatour went over in the corner and although Aispuro-Bichet missed his conversion attempt, the Giants were further punished as Sam Hewitt was adjudged to have left his knee on the try-scorer.

Hewitt was sent to the sin bin and Aispuro-Bichet landed the penalty before adding another for Taane Milne's high tackle on Keary, to put Catalans 14-6 ahead at the break.

Catalans, who face Super League leaders Hull KR in next month's Challenge Cup semi-finals, extended their lead soon after the restart.

Scrum-half Theo Fages' high kick bounced kindly for Bousquet to cruise over and Sironen raced in two minutes later. Aispuro-Bichet converted both to stretch the visitors' lead to 26-6.

Giants cut the deficit to 26-12 when Bibby darted onto George Flanagan's grubber kick for a converted score.

Tevita Pangai Junior completed the scoring for Catalans on the day

But Catalans responded with a superb try, Darrelatour keeping the ball alive before being tackled into touch and Keary collecting to send Seguier over.

Aispuro-Bichet landed his sixth successful goal-kick and the visitors regained their 14-point advantage.

Huddersfield wing Halsall squeezed over in the corner for his side's third try - Sutcliffe added the extras - but Dragons prop Pangai Junior barged over in the closing stages and Aispuro-Bichet landed his seventh kick from eight attempts to seal a convincing win for the French outfit.

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