Steve McNamara looking forward to home comforts after Challenge Cup success

Catalans head coach Steve McNamara is looking forward to enjoying some home comforts after watching his side start the season with victories on three consecutive weekends in England.

The Dragons, who won their first two Super League games against Hull KR and Huddersfield, were drawn at home to Wakefield in the third round of the Betfred Challenge Cup but were forced to play it at St Helens as part of a televised double-header.

An impressive 26-6 victory over Trinity earned McNamara’s men a place in the quarter-finals and, although they were drawn first out of the hat, it will almost certainly be played in England.

Before then, the Dragons can look forward to back-to-back league matches at Stade Gilbert Brutus, with Salford and Warrington due to visit Perpignan over the next two weeks.

Speaking post-match, McNamara said: “It’s been tough for us this week. It’s the third consecutive week we’ve had to travel but I think we handled it well.

“This one was frustrating but I fully understand the reasons the BBC chose this game.

“After playing three back-to-back, it will be nice to be back home for a couple of weeks. Not to have to travel will change the dynamics for this next week.”

Wales prop Gil Dudson scored his first try for the club as the 2018 winners followed up their 36-24 win over Trinity a year ago with an even more convincing victory at the Totally Wicked Stadium.

The Dragons led only 8-6 at half-time but dominated the game after the break to score three unanswered tries, thanks largely to another Man of the Match display from in-form full-back Sam Tomkins.

“I thought it was a really good game,” McNamara added. “In the first half neither team made an error – it was a real arm wrestle.

“I thought we had to show some patience and I’m pleased at the end with the scoreboard.

“We wanted to start the season well. We’ve got some younger players in there and we want to keep evolving and developing as a team.”

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