Semi Finals
Wigan Warriors 24 l. Les Catalans Dragons 37

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Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: Challenge Cup

Catalans stun Wigan to make historic Challenge Cup Final
Mon July 30, 2007
Source: www.therfl.co.uk

Catalans Dragons pulled off one of the biggest shocks in semi-final history to become the first French team to reach the Carnegie Challenge Cup final.

The Perpignan side will meet holders St Helens at the new Wembley on August 25 after holding off a tremendous fightback by Wigan Warriors in an epic semi-final at Warrington.

The Warriors were in danger of being routed when they trailed 31-6 after 53 minutes but they took full advantage of the sin-binning of Catalans' inspirational captain Stacey Jones to launch a sensational comeback.

Three quickfire tries, including a 90-metre effort from Mark Calderwood, briefly gave Wigan hope but Jones had the last laugh, setting up the match-clinching try for Jason Croker within seconds of his return.

Jones more than made up for the absence of leading scorer Thomas Bosc with six goals from seven attempts, while 19-year-old Vincent Duport took his place on the wing and responded with two of his side's six tries.

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

They ran in four tries in the first 18 minutes to stun the Warriors fans - who made up nine 10ths of the 10,218 crowd at the Halliwell-Jones Stadium.

Classy Catalans centre Adam Mogg, who has played State of Origin football in his native Australia, created one try and scored another as the French side made the perfect start.

His break set up stand-off Casey McGuire for the game's first try after only three minutes and fellow centre John Wilson forced his way over for a second five minutes later, shortly after having one try disallowed by video referee Ben Thaler.

When McGuire's kick bounced wickedly to deceive Wigan full-back Pat Richards, Mogg was on hand to dribble the ball over the line and touch down while another awkwardly-bouncing kick fooled Calderwood and enabled Duport to grab his first try.

Jones landed three of the conversions to give his side a 22-0 lead and put the visiting French fans in dreamland.

Wigan, who hold the records for most Challenge Cup final appearances (28) and most wins (17), gradually steadied the ship and pulled a try back through scrum-half Thomas Leuluai six minutes before the break, with Richards adding the goal.

But Jones nudged his side into an 18-point half-time lead with a penalty awarded for a flop by Bryn Hargreaves and Catalans were rejuvenated by the break.

Another defensive howler, with centre Darrell Goulding having the ball ripped from his grasp by Jones, enabled Duport to grab his second try within eight minutes of the re-start.

Jones added his second touchline conversion and put over a drop goal to extend his side's lead to 31-6.

Great Britian prop 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 which, with Richards' goal, sparked the fightback.

Catalans were increasingly forced to scramble in defence as Wigan stepped up the tempo and they cracked twice while down to 12 men following the sin-binning of Jones for a professional foul on the hour.

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

When Catalans passing broke down near the Wigan line, quick thinking by Wigan captain Sean O'Loughlin got the pacy Calderwood into his stride and he handed off full-back Clint Greenshields to sprint to the line.

Richards added both difficult conversions to cut the deficit to just seven points and, as the tension heightened, Calderwood was tackled into the corner flag by a desperate cover defence.

Jones' return could not have been better timed, however, for with his first touch Croker raced onto his perfectly-judged grubber kick for the all-important score and Jones kicked his seventh goal.

Catalans Dragons 37-24 Wigan

Catalans: (24) 37
Tries: Duport (2), McGuire, Wilson, Mogg, Croker
Goals: Jones (6)
Drops Jones

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

Report source: www.therfl.co.uk

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