TUI TORMENT
Boss Hodgson fears for Carlos in draining defeat
Catalans 36 Hull FC 8
by
HULL FC coach Brett Hodgson will be hoping for good news on star centre Carlos Tuimavave after he suffered a serious-looking Achilles injury during their defeat to Catalans Dragons.
Played out in heatwave conditions in Perpignan, Hull FC wilted in the sun to come up short with the potential injury blow to Tuimavave adding to their woes.
“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 (right).
“Our immediate concerns are about the hole we are in with injuries and we are very concerned with Carlos Tuimavave who has had to come off with what could be an Achilles injury.
“We’ll get him home and assess the situation as soon as possible.
“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, with 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 prop Julian Bousquet but the addition of Sam Kasiano from the bench led directly to the next try.
Two searing surges up the middle sparked 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 to make it 14-0 on the half-hour.
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 in the tackle but at 20-0 Catalans were in control at the interval.
Created
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 but scrum-half Luke Gale couldn’t land the conversion.
But Garcia returned from the bin alongside Arthur Mourgue and they immediately created the space for centre Samisoni Langi to score on his return from injury on his birthday in the 51st minute. Hull substitute Jack Brown had to leave the field with an ankle injury, replaced by Brad Fash, as the visitors struggled to cope with wave after wave of attack.
Winger Tom Davies was held up short, then on his back over the line in the
next set, followed by Laguerre losing control just as he was about to score. Against the run of play, Hull benefitted from a series of penalties and winger Darnell Mcintosh latched on to a swift move 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 Pearce waltzed between the posts.
And his Aussie half-back team-mate May sealed the win two minutes later with a dazzling 70metre handling move, Tomkins adding the final touch with his sixth conversion of the night. CATALANS: Tries: Mcmeeken, Yaha, Goudemand, Langi, Pearce, May; Pen: Tomkin, Cons: Tomkins 5
HULL FC: Tries: Griffin, Mcintosh