SAINTS got their Super League title defence off to a winning start against a stubborn Catalans side – but stoppages, errors and penalties threatened to spoil the party at Langtree Park.
And fittingly the game ended in acrimony after niggling from the perennial nuisance Oliver Elima sparked a flare up with Mose Masoe.
It was anything but a classic – although there were interludes of sparkling rugby to warm the cockles of the 12,008 crowd.
The game got off to something of a false start after Catalans new boy Willie Tonga mistimed his tackle on big Alex Walmsley in the first hit up of the game and that put the game on hold for a quarter of an hour.
Another stoppage after a head knock to Thomas Bosc caused further delay and that brought a degree of flatness about the game.
Catalans nearly exploited that when a kick wide was grounded by Zeb Taia, but the video ref had other ideas.
It woke Saints up and from the penalty they marched the ball upfield where a nice movement saw debutant Atelea Vea cross for his first senior try in the red vee.
Tommy Makinson kicked the goal and with Walmsley putting in some good carries a and Travis Burns looking lively Saints looked threatening.
Alas those nice touches with the ball may have been crowd pleasing, but they got into a bad habit of turning the ball over early in the set in their insistence on trying to score with each half chance.
Admittedly some of it was breathtaking – and the passage that ended with Mark Percival having the ball stripped en route to the line was like The Entertainers of old.
But poor completion soon burned the Saints and they spent large parts of the second quarter under the defensive cosh.
It started with repeat sets from conceded from drop outs but then it turned into a penalty bonanza.
Seven consecutive penalties, largely for offside on the line, the fifth resulting in a warning and then sin-binning for Greg Richards finally took their toll.
And a simple tap and go from Eloi Pelissier yielded the equalising score, with Bosc slotting the extras.
With seconds left on the clock Bosc poached a drop goal and a crescendo of boos was heaped upon the ref as he headed for the tunnel with Dragons leading 7-6.
Saints finally got a brace of penalties themselves at the start of the second half, the second for a try saving shoulder charge on Makinson at the corner.
From their lovely hands from Jon Wilkin, Burns and Jonny Lomax unleashed Jordan Turner from short range and the powerful centre forced his way over through a heap of bodies.
Makinson’s kick drifted wide, but Saints had a 10-7 advantage and were soon restored to their full complement of players.
It looked as though the Dragons had posted an immediate response when Pelissier nipped in again on 49 minutes, but the video replay showed that the French hooker had bounced it.
Saints then had the next chance with Adam Swift in at the corner but was just forced into touch.
A big driving run and offload from Mose Masoe was well backed up by Lomax and the ball fanned wide for Turner to power upfield before turning the ball back inside. Lomax scampered through but was hauled down and then held with Michael Oldfield yellow carded for his trouble.
Saints made the Dragons pay – and after Masoe had the ball stripped, Andre Savelio drove over for his first senior try.
Makinson again missed the goal but Saints had a two-score lead.
Dragons knew that Saints’ tank may have been depleted from all that constant first half tackling and came back at Saints in the last quarter.
Saints completed well and kicked shrewdly to keep the visitors at arm’s length.
And they made sure five minutes from time when a wonderful run from James Roby, who bumped off a couple of defenders and then played the ball quickly, paved the way for the ball to be winged for Makinson to dash in at the corner.
Wilkin went down the tunnel with a limp and the last minute flare up ensured that game continued to generate talking points – not all of them positive.
But for Saints that a potential banana skin stepped over – and they will learn plenty from this tape – not least respecting the football.
Saints: Lomax; Makinson, Turner, Percival, Swift; Burns,Wilkin; Amor, Roby, Walmsley, Greenwood, Vea, Jones; Subs: Masoe, Hohaia, Richards, Savelio.
Catalans: Escare; Duport, Pomeroy, Tonga, Oldfield; Bosc, Henderson; Lima, Pelissier, Casty, Taia, Whitehead, Anderson. Subs: Elima, Mounis, Garcia, Bousquet.
All pictured by Bernard Platt
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