Wakefield Trinity moved to a seventh consecutive victory with a 32-12 win over Catalans Dragons at the Stade Gilbert Brutus on Saturday, recording their first success in Perpignan since 2018.
Trueman and Sinfield steer Trinity to win
In hot conditions, with temperatures reported above 30°C, Wakefield produced a composed performance. Jake Trueman opened the scoring and was involved in multiple attacking moves, while Jack Sinfield contributed with goal-kicking and playmaking as Trinity preserved second place in the table.
The night in Perpignan had an emotional edge as Catalans paid tribute to former halfback Scott Dureau, with an immaculate minute's applause before kick-off following his recent passing at the age of 39.
Key moments and scores
Wakefield took an early lead from a penalty ten metres out when Trueman dummied left, stepped inside and grounded the ball despite heavy defensive attention; Sinfield converted. The visitors then stretched the lead in the 16th minute when Trueman again created the opportunity and Cameron Scott finished in the right corner.
Catalans reply came shortly before half-time through Toby Sexton, who finished a move after exchanging passes with Lewis Dodd, with Guillermo Aispuro-Bichet converting to narrow the gap. The teams went in for the interval with Wakefield leading but having squandered several chances to extend their advantage due to earlier knock-ons and forward passes.
| Minute | Event | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 7 | Trueman penalty try?—Trueman scores from dummy and step | Wakefield 6-0 |
| 16 | Cameron Scott try (created by Trueman) | Wakefield 10-0 |
| ~30 | Toby Sexton try for Catalans (converted) | Wakefield 10-6 |
| 50 | Caleb Hamlin-Uele scores for Wakefield | Wakefield 16-6 |
| 57 | Matthieu Laguerre try for Catalans (converted) | Wakefield 16-12 |
| 63 | Isaiah Vagana finish after short pass from Sinfield | Wakefield 22-12 |
Ten minutes after the restart, a short pass from Tyson Smoothy put Caleb Hamlin-Uele over down the right edge, with Sinfield adding the conversion to give Trinity a ten-point cushion. Catalans reduced the margin through a Matthieu Laguerre effort, but Wakefield re-established control when Sinfield found Isaiah Vagana to cross, helping the visitors pull clear again.
What this means for Wakefield
- Seven successive victories underline Wakefield's strong run of form this season.
- The win in Perpignan is Wakefield's first at Stade Gilbert Brutus since 2018.
- Trinity remain in second place and head back to West Yorkshire for a major home fixture against league leaders Leeds on Friday.
For supporters and the club, the result offers momentum and belief ahead of what will be a significant encounter at Belle Vue on Friday, where Wakefield will look to carry their away form into a tough local test against the top side in the competition.
Match details and individual scoring will be important to coaching staff as they prepare; the combination of Trueman's creativity and Sinfield's kicking proved decisive in the south of France on a notable night for both teams.
