Ian Watson unhappy with kick-off delay following Catalans win

Huddersfield Head Coach Ian Watson was unhappy with the delayed kick-off, as his side beat Catalans on Friday night.

The match was due to kick-off at 7.45pm at The John Smith’s Stadium. But Catalans were delayed coming over to the country.

High winds in Perpignan meant they had to make the two-hour diversion to Toulouse and fly over from there. The match ended up kicking off at 8.20pm.

But while Watson was happy with the performance, he was not happy with the delay.

He said: “It was probably easier for Catalans as they know where they are in terms of travel. Our players have been here (in the dressing rooms) a long time not knowing what’s happening.

“We have had to adjust for the stadium staff, the supporters… to adapt for one team.

“They can’t help what has happened. But if they run the risk of travelling on the day they run the risk of missing the game and that’s something they need to look at. Either they travel earlier or are happy to run that risk.

“They can’t help what’s happened but everyone knows when the fixtures are so if one team chooses to travel on the day they run this risk.

“Once they got here, they were given longer than they probably should have been allowed.”

Steve McNamara calls Watson comments ‘disgraceful’

Catalans Head Coach Steve McNamara defended his side from the comments, saying things changed with regards to the weather.

He also pointed that Hull KR v Warrington was delayed as well with the Warrington team getting stuck in traffic on the M62.

McNamara added: “We checked all the forecasts and things changed drastically at the death. There was an absolute gale coming.

“So we got into cars and drove in dangerous winds to Toulouse and get here just before the kick-off and had go straight onto the field.

“I thought this game was about trying to do the right thing by everybody and there was a freak of nature happened which delayed us.

“I believe Hull KR v Warrington was delayed too (the same evening) due to traffic on the M62 so will they want everyone from Warrington to stay the night beforehand in Hull in the future.”

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