TUIM-I ACHE
Brett counts cost of defeat in heat
HULL FC coach Brett Hodgson will be hoping for good news on star Carlos Tuimavave.
The centre had to leave the pitch with an apparent Achilles tendon injury during their defeat to Catalans Dragons in heatwave conditions in Perpignan.
“It was very tough, very humid and it’s difficult in those conditions but we have no excuses for the defeat, we have to be much better,” said the Hull boss.
“Our immediate concerns are about the hole we are in with injuries and we are very concerned with Carlos Tuimavave today who has had to come off with what could be an Achilles injury.
“We’re in a hole but we’re not at panic stations just yet there is still a lot to play for.”
It was hot stuff in the early exchanges, Mike McMeeken breaking a fierce set-for-set deadlock with a try on 11 minutes after brilliant handling from scrum-half Tyrone May, Sam Tomkins adding the conversion for 6-0.
Tomkins added two more points when Hull stand-off Josh Reynolds went high in his tackle on Dragons’ prop Julian Bousquet but the addition of Sam Kasiano from the bench led directly to the next try.
Two searing surges up the middle led to a left-wing scramble involving Matt Whitley and Matthieu Laguerre, the ball ending up in the hands of winger Fouad Yaha who crossed in the corner for a try converted by Tomkins.
A minute later, stand-off Mitchell
Pearce broke through the Hull line 30-metres out and released French prop Mickael Goudemand to finish under the posts, Tomkins again on target with the kick.
Dragons captain Ben Garcia was sin-binned just before half-time for holding down in the tackle but at 20-0 Catalans were in control.
Hull took advantage of their numerical advantage early in the second half when centre Josh Griffin forced his way over from short range on the left. Scrum-half
Luke Gale couldn’t find the target with the conversion.
But
Garcia returned from the sinbin alongside Arthur Mourgue and they immediately created the space for birthday boy Samisoni Langi to score on his return from injury.
Against the run of play, Hull winger Darnell McIntosh latched on to a swift handling move to the right to score in the corner.
At 24-8 with seven minutes to play there was still a glimmer of hope for Hull but that was extinguished when first Pearce, then Tyrone May sealed the win, Tomkins adding the final touch with his sixth conversion.