Warrington Wolves through to Challenge Cup quarter-finals with another win in France

WARRINGTON Wolves won in France for the second time this season as they defeated Catalans Dragons 16-14 in Perpignan.

Having won the Super League meeting between the two sides back in April, a late Matty Ashton try earned the Wolves a win in the Challenge Cup sixth round tie.

That puts them through to Sunday’s quarter-final draw, joining Wigan, St Helens, Leigh and Hull KR. Three more sixth round ties are still to be played.

There was frustration that the tie wasn’t accessible to fans, with no television or streaming coverage, while the delayed confirmation of the date and time made it even more difficult for fans to arrange a quick trip to the south of France.

That will long be forgotten though if the Wolves can secure a first trip to Wembley since they last won the cup in 2019.

There was a return to the starting line-up for Matt Dufty, benched in the Wolves’ last two outings, while Gil Dudson made his first appearance since receiving a five-game ban for his red card ironically against Catalans.

They opened the scoring after 15 minutes when Ashton went in at the corner for his first try after Stefan Ratchford and George Williams had linked up, and Williams then set up Dufty to double the lead to 12-0.

Arthur Romano got the hosts on the board before the interval, and the game was finely poised at 12-6.

After soaking up some early second half pressure, the Wolves defence finally succumbed to Tom Johnstone and with 15 minutes to go, the Dragons took the lead for the first time through Matt Ikuvalu despite being down to 12-men following a sin-bin for Michael McIlorum.

The missed conversion kept the deficit to two at 14-12, and Warrington would ultimately capitalise on a Catalans’ error in the final few minutes.

A knock on just 10 metres out from their own line gave Warrington an attacking set, and from it Ratchford put Ashton over in the corner.

The match winning moment! 🔥@ResultingIT | #MomentOfTheMatch pic.twitter.com/S2LUMmBG7Q

— Warrington Wolves (@WarringtonRLFC) May 20, 2023

Catalans: Mourgue, Romano, Whitley, Ikuvalu, Johnstone, Tomkins, Pearce, McMeeken, McIlorum, Dezaria, Ma’u, Seguier, Garcia. Interchanges: Bousquet, Navarrete, Taukeiaho, Zenon (Goudemand)

Warrington: Dufty, Thewlis, Mata’utia, Ratchford, Ashton, Williams, Bullock, Clark, Vaughan, Currie, McGuire, Harrison. Interchanges: Kasiano, Philbin, Walker, Dudson (Green).