The first real test for Featherstone this season came as an away draw to the Catalans Dragons in the Challenge Cup.

Tries from Brandon Pickersgill and NRL veteran Joey Leilua put the championship side 10-0 up after just seven minutes. The stolen ball from Hall who put the kick into Joey Leilua was outstanding, a Super League standard of play, as it tore through the Dragons back line.

Fouad Yaha got over in the corner after an onslaught of runs at the defence, with a great pass out to the side allowing him to get the ball down, Tomkins missed the conversion.

Solid defence and completed sets saw the game stay at 4-10 until around 10 minutes before the break, where Fouad Yaha got over for his second of the game, showing Catalans well drilled training despite Tomkins missing the kick once again. 8-10

Neither team made an impact in the last 10 minutes, some solid defence from the Rovers allowed them to keep a two-point lead into the break.

🏆 Your results from Round 6 of the @Betfred #ChallengeCup so far… pic.twitter.com/8kyd7p1euB

— Betfred Challenge Cup (@TheChallengeCup) March 26, 2022

Minutes into the second half Leilua got over for his second of the game, he really showed his experience throughout this game and is one of Featherstone’s most dangerous assets. Hall’s conversion misses.

Catalans needed to avoid leaving it too late against the championship side, breaking the line well but just coming short, until the 50th minute when Sam Kasiano got over for his first of the game. The score sat at 12-14 with the ball in hand.

Tyrone May got over right in front of the sticks, for Tomkins to convert just minutes later, putting the hosts 20-14 ahead.

Featherstone found themselves with great field position just minutes later, attacking well but nothing came of it, when they really needed some points there.

With 8 minutes to go, May dove over and Tomkins converted, putting the hosts 3 scores ahead in order for the Rovers to win, and just to put the icing on the cake, Tomkins added a drop goal, ending the game 27-14.

A good game for the Rovers despite the result, Catalans survived a shock. But the well oiled super league outfit proved a little bit too strong for Brian McDermott’s men.

 
Full time

Catalans Dragons 27
Featherstone Rovers 14

Catalans Dragons: Tomkins, Davies, Romano, Laguerre, Yaha, Drinkwater, May, Napa, Da Costa, Dudson, Chan, Jullien, Garcia

Interchanges: McMeeken, Goudemand, Rouge, Kasiano

Tries: Yaha(2), Kasiano, May, Davies
Goals: Tomkins (3/5)
Drop Goals: Tomkins (1/1)

Featherstone Rovers: Pickersgill, Briscoe, Leilua, Hall, Gale, Smith, Jacks, Cooper, Wildie, Lockwood, Ferres, Hardcastle, Moors

Interchanges: Bussey, Davies, Cuthbertson, Field

Tries: Pickersgill, Leilua (2)
Goals: Hall (1/3)