Fiery Dragons hit hot form

Damien Blanch: hat-trick for Dragons

Catalan Dragons crushed Hull KR 56-6 to suggest they are set to be a major force in the play-offs.

The Dragons produced their best performance of the season in front of a passionate home crowd to roar into week two of the end of season shoot-out.

No side will fancy facing them on this evidence - although they will have to win twice on the road if they are to make a first visit to Old Trafford next month.

Damien Blanch helped himself to a hat-trick of tries and Steve Menzies weighed in with two, while there were also scores from Daryl Millard, Sebastien Raguin, Eloi Pelissier, Cyril Stacul and Clint Greenshields.

Scott Dureau slotted eight goals, with Rovers were restricted to a try from Craig Hall and Michael Dobson's kick.

The home side started fast and barely slowed down for the full 80, taking the lead in the second minute and never looking likely to surrender it.

Hull KR looked to show their intent early by sending Sam Latus away down the right hand side but his break was eventually halted by Ian Henderson.

From the next play Liam Watts attempted a short ball that was intercepted by Menzies, who raced 80 metres before handing on to Blanch to touch down in the right hand corner.

Dureau missed the conversion from the touchline, but the signs were ominous for KR.

Both sides allowed potential scores to slip through their grasp as both Jake Webster and Blanch dropped the ball at key times, but it was the Dragons who extended their lead after twelve minutes when Menzies latched onto Thomas Bosc's short ball to touch down.

Dureau this time added the conversion to extend the lead to 10 points.

Six minutes later the Dragons further extended their lead with a smart play from Greenshields, who sent in Blanch in the right corner.

Superb

Dureau missed again but made amends when he sent Menzies in for his second try of the night with a superb flick pass. Dureau added the goal.

He contributed a further two points after the Dragons were given a penalty in front of the posts to give the Catalans a 22-0 half-time lead.

The Dragons continued where they left off in the second half, Millard scoring following good work from Raguin and Stacul, with Dureau converting.

Pelissier was next over the line following some poor defence by Rovers. Dureau added a simple conversion from in front of the posts as the lead eased out to 34 points.

Hull KR did eventually score in the 51st-minute when a smart move saw Blake Green and Michael Dobson combine for one of the first times in the game to send Kris Welham down the left wing. The big centre then delivered to Hall in the left corner, with Dobson on hand to slot the extras.

Normal service was resumed five minutes later when Raguin powered over Welham to touch down and Stacul raced over in the corner.

Dureau converted both tries and was the architect when Greenshields raced onto a kick that ricocheted off Dobson and touched down under the posts. Dureau again completed a simple kick.

With two minutes remaining, Dureau's kick set up Blanch for a well-deserved hat-trick.