Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Sam’s kick in teeth for Joel
TOMKINS’ BATTLE OF THE BROTHERS IS SETTLED BY LATE CONVERSION
SAM TOMKINS held his nerve to stick the boot into brother Joel and earn Catalans’ first away win of the season.
The Dragons full-back was facing his elder sibling for the first time since they went their separate ways from boyhood club Wigan.
Joel looked set to earn the family bragging rights when his superb 49th-minute try put Hull KR two scores in front.
But the visitors hit back with three tries, the last of which Tomkins converted from out wide despite the boos that followed him all afternoon. It provided the perfect response to the French side’s 46-0 home defeat to Salford eight days ago.
Catalans coach Steve Mcnamara said: “We were completely embarrassed as a club by that. We knew we had to find some sort of response.
“We lost Sam Moa and Greg Bird to concussion in the first half not to return, and Benjamin Jullien as soon as he came on with a shoulder injury.
“They were tough conditions but it shows what it meant to the group. Sam is a big-game player. It was a clutch kick from a big-moment player.”
After a forgettable first half ended 2-2 as Craig Hall and Tomkins traded penalties, the game burst into life after the restart. Weller Hauraki strode through a big hole and Joel Tomkins beat his brother to put the home side 10 points ahead.
Catalans were level as Brayden Williame twisted his way over and Lucas Albert supported a Samisoni Langi break, before Hall raced 90 metres for the Robins after intercepting on his own line.
He missed the difficult conversion from out wide and it proved crucial as Langi kicked for Lewis Tierney to touch down and Sam Tomkins stepped up with his pressure conversion.
Rovers boss Tim Sheens said: “We didn’t have enough big men and ran out of numbers and steam. It was brave in many aspects of the game but we did a couple of silly things.
“The tries were the same, they just kicked more goals, that last Tomkins one buried us.”