The Catalans Dragons needed a home win to go back ahead of Hull FC into seventh spot and a win by fifty-six points or more would see them up to sixth ahead of Warrington. The Giants needed the points to maintain fourth spot and the all important four home games in the Super Eights.

The last time that these two met was at the Magic Weekend in Newcastle where they entertained the big crowd with a 24-24 draw, but in the April meeting at the John Smith's Stadium it was a simple 38-14 win for the home side.

The Dragons have only lost once at home this season, against the league leading Leeds Rhinos, making it was a daunting task for the absent Paul Anderson's Claret and Golds.

It had been a frantic, scrappy and injury marred opening twenty-five minutes. Elliott Whitehead had been stretchered off after three minutes after being knocked out and Remi Casty followed him a few minutes later with blood streaming from a head wound.

First try of the game came on twenty-seven when Jermaine McGillvary finally found his way past the Catalans defence on the overlap out wide right. Jamie Ellis kicked the extras from the touchline despite the barracking from the home crowd.

With Danny Brough in the sin-bin for the Giants for backchat, and inside the last minute of the half, and a kick to the corner from Morgan Escare as grounded by Krisnan Inu and Scott Dureau slid the ball between the uprights to level the scores at 6-6.

It hadn't been pretty, two nervous looking sides slogging it out on a hot and humid south of France early evening. There would need to be more quality in the second half.

With two tries in five minutes either side of the interval, it was the Dragons who took the lead after the Giants dropped the ball in attack. The loose ball was picked up by Inu who broke downfield before finding Morgan Escare to outpace the Giants chasers and dive over under the sticks. Dureau added the two, and from 6-0 down the Giants were 12-6 up as Danny Brough sat on the Huddersfield bench.

Brough had been back on the field for a matter of seconds when a 'forward looking' Scott Grix pass was collected by Germaine McGillvary and he rounded the defence to score a copy try of his first half effort. Ellis kicked the goal for 12-12.

When Scott Dureau stripped the ball off Luke Robinson on the Dragons twenty, Ellis accepted the two to edge his side in front again.

The remainder of the second half showed no improvement from the dirge of the first as neither side troubled the scorers again. All the points came with a twenty-five minute period around half-time and outside that time of enterprise this was two tired sides slogging it out in the forwards and spending half of the time packing down after knock-ones.

It's the Giants who are now in the box seat for a top four finish and four home games in the Super Eights. Unless the Dragons take a hammering at Headingley next week with KR beating Saints at Langtree Park, then they will also be playing in the Super Eights.

Dragons: Escare (T), Inu (T), Gigot, Pomeroy, Sigimeau, Albert, Dureau (2G), Lima, Henderson, Casty, Whitehead, Anderson, Baitieri. Subs: Pelissier, Mounis, Garcia, Bosquet.

Giants: Grix, McGillvary (2T), Cudjoe, Wardle, Murphy, Brough (SB), Ellis (3G), Crabtree, Robinson, Huby, Ferres, Hughes, Ta'ai. Subs: Lawrence, Kopczak, Wood, Smith.

Referee: Joe Cobb
Attendance: 9,761