Jouffret inspires Halifax to cup demolition of Bulls
A fine individual performance from Louis Jouffret helped inspire Halifax Panthers to a 26-0 thrashing over West Yorkshire rivals Bradford Bulls in the fifth round of the Challenge Cup.
Jouffret produced a magnificent virtuoso display, scoring a brace of tries and helping to create for James Saltonstall and Jake Maizen as Fax went 22-0 up at the break.
Saltonstall added to his tally in the second half as Fax ruthlessly ensured they would be in Monday evening’s last-16 draw, as well as securing their place in the semi-finals of the 1895 Cup. They are now 80 minutes away from Wembley, having not played at the famous ground since 1988.
Fax’s fast-paced intent was clear from the third minute when Jouffret went over for his first.
The stand-off showed great hands to release Matty Gee with a short ball. And although he was brought down ten metres from the line, Jouffret received the ball back on the next play and screeched over the line.
If Fax were fantastic in defence, they were ferocious in attack and Jouffret deservedly doubled his tally for the night, running between the posts after wonderful work by Jacob Fairbank and Will Calcott.
In the ascendancy, they didn’t take their foot off the gas and after Jouffret broke clear yet again, he passed it right to Ben Tibbs who in turn found Saltonstall - the only change that Grix made to the side which beat York last Sunday - who went over for his first of the night on his 100th career appearance.
Joe Keyes missed his first conversion attempt of the evening, but Fax fans didn’t have long to wait for another score.
And it was that man, Jouffret, who was instrumental again, this time finding Maizen who darted over as Fax took a 22-0 lead into the halftime break.
It only took Grix’s men eight minutes to add to their advantage in the second half, with Saltonstall magically grabbing the ball from a lofted pass and getting his second of the night.
It could have been even worse for the Bulls had Dan Murray managed to force himself over after another inventive pass from Jouffret late on.
But Fax had done more than enough to progress into the last-16.