5th Round
Bradford Bulls 46 d. Les Catalans Dragons 16

2008 Challenge Cup Index [Draw] [Club Headlines]

Location: United Kingdom > National > First Grade Competition: Challenge Cup

Bulls march on
Tue May 13, 2008
Source: www.therfl.co.uk

Clint Greenshields' early sinbinning cost Catalans Dragons dear as Bradford Bulls marched into the Carnegie Challenge Cup quarter-finals with a clinical eight-try 46-16 demolition of last season's beaten finalists.

The Dragons full-back was sent to the bin in the fifth minute for holding down opposite number Michael Platt in Bradford's first meaningful attack and the Bulls made their numerical advantage pay in spectacular fashion.

They ran in four tries during Greenshields' enforced absence as Semi Tadulala quickly broke the French side's resistance to claim the first of his three touchdowns before Sam Burgess and Dave Halley added further scores.

Tadulala then crossed again and with Paul Deacon converting all four tries, the Catalans were 24-0 down when Greenshields walked sheepishly back onto the field in the 15th minute.

It was no way for the 26-year-old Australian to mark his new three-year deal but he recovered well to claim his side's first try in the 28th minute.

It was not nearly enough, however, and Mick Potter's men shipped a fifth score before the break when Deacon sent Chris Nero clear.

Jamie Langley, Shontayne Hape and Tadulala added three more tries in the second half to seal a comprehensive victory which took the Bulls a step closer to their first Challenge Cup final since 2003, when they defeated arch-rivals Leeds in Cardiff.

It had all begun so promisingly for Catalans as Casey McGuire's astute kicking game pinned the Bulls back and saw the visitors threaten on several occasions.

But, in the fifth minute, Bradford broke strongly down the right flank and after Greenshields was punished for holding down Platt the Bulls worked the ball out wide and Tadulala plunging over in the corner.

Deacon converted superbly from near the touchline and four minutes later a piece of meticulous dummy running from Terry Newton saw the hooker send Burgess charging under the posts from close range.

The Bulls were rampant and in the 12th minute Langley's delicate offload out of a tackle sent Paul Sykes charging down the right flank. He found Halley who raced clear of an undermanned Catalans defence.

Three minutes later - and moments before Greenshields' return - the visitors were punished again when Tadulala collected a loose pass from David Solomona and scampered under the posts.

Greenshields then found the space to waltz through the home defence for a try but immediately after the restart Bradford claimed their sixth score as Langley powered his way over the line from point-blank range.

Seven minutes later Bradford's seventh try arrived as Wayne Godwin's pass sent Hape into the left corner and yet again Deacon added the extras.

To their credit, Catalans came back strongly and a spell of sustained pressure on the hour saw Greenshields send Dimitri Pelo over in the corner for a try which Thomas Bosc converted.

The French side began to dominate the final quarter and Julien Touxagas stepped through a gaping hole in the Bradford defence to claim their third try with 12 minutes remaining and Bosc added the extras.

But in the closing stages Solomona's audacious offload gave Tadulala an easy try for his hat-trick but Deacon could not convert to ruin his 100% goalkicking record.

Report Source: www.therfl.co.uk


Bulls Eye: Bradford v Catalans
Sat May 10, 2008
Source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

In Bulls Eye this week Bradford Coach Steve McNamara looks ahead to Sunday's Carnegie Challenge Cup Round 5 game at the Grattan Stadium when the Catalans Dragons are the visitors.

STEVE McNAMARA
HOW ARE THE INJURIES SHAPING UP THIS WEEK?
We are not too bad. I think it will be a week too early for Joe Vagana and Ben Jeffries but other than those two we are looking OK. James Evans left the field at Cardiff with a Dead Leg but hopefully he will be available.

IT'S THE CARNEGIE CHALLENGE CUP THIS WEEK AND A COMPETITION YOU WANT TO DO WELL IN?
It is a great competition and I have played at Wembley and would love to Coach a side to the Final and hopefully win it. It's a great place to go; everything it's cracked up to be and more and I'd love to go there this year. The club would also benefit from a good Cup run so to get there and win it is a big goal for everyone at the club.

CATALANS HAVE GONE EIGHT GAMES UNBEATEN SINCE LOSING TO THE BULLS IN MARCH BUT THEY HAVE NOT BEEN RUNNING AWAY WITH GAMES?
They are certainly not unbeatable but what they have showed is a great tenacity and toughness and they have a real hard core of very experienced Australians who have been there and done it for years in the NRL and know how to win close games. They have some young exciting French players and some hard nosed Aussies but hopefully we can get over them this weekend.

They have quality right across the park in all areas and they are a side who have shown the ability to keep coming at you and hanging in right to the end. They know the way to the Final too ? having been there last year - and will fight to get there again.

SQUAD
Steve McNamara is still without the injured Ben Jeffries and Joe Vagana and Craig Kopczak is Cup Tied, so Matt James comes into the squad.

The 19-man squad is: Sam Burgess, Paul Sykes, Shontayne Hape, Glenn Morrison (c), James Evans, Dave Halley, Michael Platt, Chris Nero, Iestyn Harris, Wayne Godwin, Tame Tupou, Simon Finnigan, Andy Lynch, Semi Tadulala, David Solomona, Terry Newton, Matt James, Paul Deacon, Jamie Langley.

MILESTONES
PAUL DEACON has kicked 52 goals from 63 attempts this season for an average of 82.54%.

IESTYN HARRIS needs 2 Tries for a career total of 150. He has scored 148 Tries for Warrington, Leeds, Bradford, Gt. Britain, Wales and Gt. Britain Under 21's. He also needs 2 points for a total of 300 for the Bulls, having scored 33 tries, 82 goals and 2 drop goals in 119 appearances since joining them in July 2004.

WAYNE GODWIN needs 8 points for a career total of 300. The Hooker has scored 33 tries and kicked 80 goals in his 154 appearances.

SEMI TADULALA, who made his 100th appearance in British Rugby League in the Millennium Magic game, needs only 8 points for a career total of 200.

He has scored 48 Tries of which 11 have come in his 11games for the Bulls this season.

News source: www.bradfordbulls.co.uk

Advanced Search