Two sides seeking their first win of the 2022 campaign met in the South of France as the Catalans Dragons, who lost to the Champions in the opening round played hosts to Wakefield Trinity who were narrowly defeated by Hull FC last time out.

Steve McNamara had been forced into a number of changes with Laguerre, Dazaria and Goudemand in for Davies, Napa, and Dudson while Trinity made wholesale changes as they were without the suspended Reece Lyne along with Miller, Gaskell, Fifita, and Tanginoa, none of whom had travelled with the squad to France. Neither the pundits nor the bookies could see past a Dragons win.

The Dragons were, as expected, dominant in the early exchanges. After getting a penalty for interference on the Wakefield line on six minutes the Dragons took two tackles for Mathieu Laguerre to fly in at the corner with half of his body airborne over the side-line. Sam Tomkins couldn´t add the conversion from the touchline.

On twelve minutes it was back-to-back tries for the Dragons as Fouad Yaha took a pass on a big overlap as Tomkins worked his magic from the back of the scrum. Tomkins added the conversion for 10-0.

Wakefield struck back on twenty-three with Tom Johnstone getting on the end of Brad Walker kick to collect and canter in for the score. Max Jowitt was unable to add the conversion, Trinity six behind after weathering the early storm.

But the Dragons were straight back at Wakefield with Samisoni Langi taking a Tomkins pass and finding a gap in the defensive line to score on the angle. Tomkins slotted the ball between the uprights for 16-4.

It was becoming a tit-for-tat game of scoring when fast hands from Wakefield saw Jowitt step twice to go in from twenty metres to keep Trinity within striking distance of the home side. The full back added the conversion to his own try for a six-point deficit with seven minutes of the first half remaining.

After what had initially looked as though it would be a rout, Trinity fought back well to go in at the interval trailing by just a converted try, giving themselves a second half chance against a rattled Dragons.

A high tackle on Mike McMeeken on the Trinity line gifted the Dragons six more in striking distance and on the third tackle Benjamin Garcia bust through the line and forced the ball to ground. Tomkins added the conversion for 22-10 to settle the Dragons nerves on forty-five.

Great Wakefield defence kept the Dragons at bay until the hour mark when after conceding a penalty on their own line, Trinity allowed Tomkins to kick a penalty goal for a fourteen-point Dragons lead.

Tom Lineham was denied a try on sixty-five when he was tackled into touch close to the Dragons line. Five minutes later the Dragons were unable to deal with a high kick and gifted Trinity an extra set of six and at the end of those the home side were forced into a goal line dropout.

Five minutes from time Johnstone weaved his way through the Dragons defence to come infield from the touchline to score. Jowitt added the conversion for 16-24.

With fifteen seconds remaining Tom Lineham intercepted ten from his own line and sprinted down the right wing to outpace the Dragons defence and score. Jowitt added the conversion, the visitors losing by just two points.

Wakefield fared much better than they should have done on paper, and they gave the Dragons a bit of a scare, but it was the home side who got their campaign underway with their first points of the season while Wakefield fell to their second loss. Willie Poching will take plenty of positives out of his trip and will be left wondering what could have been should he have had a full squad to choose from.

Catalans Dragons: Tomkins (4G), Yaha (T), Langi (T), Whare, Laguerre (T), Drinkwater, Pearce, Dezaria, McIlorum, Goudemand, Whitley, McMeeken, Garcia (T). Subs: Da Costa, Chan, May, Kasiano.

Wakefield Trinity: Jowitt (T, 3G), Johnstone (2T), Hall, Batchelor, Lineham (T), Walker, Bowes, Arona, Hood, Battye, Ashurst, Pitts, Crowther. Subs: Whitbread, Kay, Aydin, Shaw.

Half-Time: 16-10.

Full-Time: 24-22.

Score Progression: 4-0, 8-0, 10-0, 10-4, 14-4, 16-4, 16-8, 16-10 : HT : 20-10,  22-10, 24-10, 24-14, 24-16, 24-20, 24-22 : FT .

Referee: Tom Grant.