Lipowicz Function As Catalans Pile Misery On Hull KR

21 March 2026


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Catalans (14) 26


Tries: Lipowicz 2, Navarrete, Marc Goals: Sexton 5


Hull KR (6) 20


Tries: May, Burgess, Amone Goals: Lewis 4


Reigning Super League champs Hull Kingston Rovers suffered a 3rd defeat in their opening 4 games as Catalans Dragons earned an amazing 26-20 victory in Perpignan.


The Robins swept all before them last season, taking all 3 domestic prizes before beating Brisbane Broncos to become world champions last month, but the French side were remarkable as two tries from Zac Lipowicz and one by Romain Navarrete had them 20-6 ahead at the 60-minute mark.


It looked like Rovers, regardless of an unconvincing screen, were carrying their way back towards triumph as tries from and Tom Amone and Mikey Lewis' penalty levelled ball games.


In a remarkable ending, Catalans went up the other end and 19-year-old Lenny Marc raced over for a winning try which improves them as much as seventh place.


It looked like Rovers were discovering their feet after losing their 2 opening video games of the league season to York Knights and Leeds Rhinos, as they beat Huddersfield Giants in both their league fixture and last week's Challenge Cup conference.


That showed to be an incorrect dawn, however, as they showed protective weaknesses, bad discipline at essential minutes and an absence of the flair which swept all before them last season.


Catalans, who have a practice of blowing hot and cold, were superb even though they lost 3 forwards to injury, requiring using their 18th male Harvey Wilson, and after that saw prominent scrum-half Lewis Dodd limp off.


Rovers had actually begun all right as May, in his 100th Super League appearance and playing versus his previous club, bounced off a take on and stepped over the line.


But Catalans developed supremacy and deservedly levelled when Dodd broke and Lipowicz extended out to touch down after being tackled short of the line.


The Dragons lost excellent prop Josh Allen and his replacement Julian Bousquet to head injuries and then Matthieu Laguerre to an ankle issue in quick succession however it did not disrupt their circulation as Sexton's charge and his conversion of a second shot for Lipowicz had them 14-6 up at half time.


The home side even rode the loss of Dodd to extend their lead through Navarrete, but as their over-worked forwards tired the Robins started to get on top.


Oliver GIldart freed Burgess to race away for his 150th Super League try, Amone touched down May's grubber and Mikey Lewis slotted a charge to square it up and a KR resurgence win looked unavoidable.


When Jack Broadbent raced down the middle, it appeared to be the winning moment however he unwisely attempted to offload, Dragons gained back belongings and when they introduced one last attack teenager Marc stimulated mass events by racing clear of the Robins defence to rating.


'Many errors and charges' - response


Hull KR head coach Willie Peters informed BBC Radio Humberside:


"We made it hard for ourselves but you have to pay credit to Catalans. They're a gutsy team who work hard for each other and they discovered a way at the back end.


"But when I look at our efficiency, so lots of mistakes and penalties which put us in a bad position.


"What I took pride in was the way we resisted, we put ourselves back in the video game but at the back end we were looking for the fast repair as we wanted the game so bad on that one play and it happened, not simply on Jack [Broadbent's] dip into completion, but throughout the game.


"My job now is to evaluate it, look through it and take ownership but when you're playing, players play the video game.


"They put themselves in a position to win but there was a period where we did find some circulation, hold the footy and ask some concerns, and when it was time to safeguard our line we did. We didn't do that for long adequate durations."


Catalans: Staines; Cotric, Laulu-Togagae, Faatape, Marc; Sexton, Dodd; Allen, Da Costa, Navarrete, Lipowicz, Laguerre, Garcia.


Interchanges: Satae, Bousquet, Leeming, Chan, Wilson (18th male).


Hull KR: Broadbent; Davies, Hiku, Gildart, Burgess; Lewis, May; Sue, Litten, Hadley, Whitehead, Batchelor, Minchella.


Interchanges: Amone, Luckley, Whitbread, Leyland.


Referee: Jack Smith.


Hull Kingston Rovers


Catalans Dragons