Catalans Dragons 48-0 Wigan Warriors: Player ratings and major talking points

Having beaten Champions St Helens last week, Catalans underlined their title credentials today with an emphatic win over Wigan. The Dragons have now toppled last year’s Grand Finalists in consecutive weeks ending their unbeaten starts and joining them at the top of the league.

Major Talking Points:

1. Catalans looking like Champions

I said yesterday that St Helens looked like Champions again after defeat to the Dragons last week. Well today, the Dragons saw what the Saints did and surpassed it with the best performance of the season so far. The Dragons were perfect from 1 to 17. Their spine clicked masterfully, their backs made metres and looked dangerous in attack, and all this came on the back of great forward play from the starters as well as those who began the game on the bench. Don’t be surprised to see Catalans at Old Trafford in 2021.

2. Wigan ill-discipline cost them

Catalans didn’t let Wigan play but the Warriors didn’t help themselves. Errors with the ball and a series of penalties in the first half gave Catalans control over the contest. To win big games this season, Wigan are going to have to avoid such mistakes. It looked very alien from Wigan today given their usual clinical nature and their frustrating performance was summed up by Zak Hardaker’s sending off at the end of the game.

3. Sam the man

At this moment in time, despite the early season form of Hardaker and Jake Connor, Sam Tomkins has to be Shaun Wane’s number one at the World Cup. His maturity has been there for all to see this season. He creates so much for others out the back and even offers game management. But today we also saw him at his individual best with the ball in his hands and running at defences. He was simply outstanding.

Player Ratings:

Catalans Dragons
29 Sam Tomkins – 9
2 Tom Davies – 8
4 Dean Whare – 8
3 Samisoni Langi – 8
20 Mathieu Laguerre – 7
6 James Maloney – 8
7 Josh Drinkwater – 9
8 Gil Dudson – 6
9 Michael McIlorum – 8
10 Julian Bousquet – 8
12 Mike McMeeken – 8
15 Benjamin Jullien – 8
13 Benjamin Garcia – 8
Substitutes
1 Arthur Mourgue – 9
17 Mickael Goudemand – 6
22 Joel Tomkins – 8
28 Sam Kasiano – 8

Wigan Warriors
3 Zak Hardaker – 5
2 Dom Manfredi – 7
22 Jake Bibby – 7
12 Liam Farrell – 6
30 Umyla Hanley – 6
31 Jackson Hastings – 6
7 Thomas Leuluai – 6
8 Brad Singleton – 6
9 Sam Powell – 6
21 Ethan Havard – 5
15 Morgan Smithies – 6
13 John Bateman – 5
14 Oliver Partington – 5
Substitutes
10 Joe Bullock – 5
19 Liam Byrne – 6
20 Harry Smith – 6
25 Joe Shorrocks – 6