Referee Thierry Alibert Suspended

Super League referee Thierry Alibert has been punished with a one-match suspension after allowing a try to be scored on the seventh tackle for the second time in a month.

London Broncos coach Rob Powell complained about the 41-year-old Frenchman's decision to allow Catalan Dragons forward Louis Anderson to touch down after the sixth tackle during his side's 36-18 home defeat last Thursday.

Powell said: "The second try of the second half was on the seventh tackle. It's the same referee that had one against Wakefield for Warrington two weeks ago that cost the game.

"We shouldn't concede 22 points and we shouldn't concede four tries in 12 minutes but it doesn't help when the bare standard minimum of the game is not officiated."

As a result of his blunder, Alibert, who is one of six full-time referees on the Super League panel, was dropped for Salford's home game against Hull KR yesterday and replaced by part-timer Tim Roby.

"Thierry was taken off his game yesterday as a result of his error," said RFL match officials director Stuart Cummings.

Catalan Dragons Stun Saints

Catalan Dragons claimed a sensational last-gasp victory over St Helens to go top of the Super League for the first time in their seven-year history.

The French side trailed 26-8 midway through the second half but roared back to win 34-32, scoring the match-winning try through Daryl Millard with the last play of the game.

Saints made a fast start with some sparkling rugby and led 20-8 at half-time, with no hint of the dramatic turnaround to come.

It took them just three minutes to open the scoring, with winger Jamie Foster gathering the ball from Lee Gaskell's grubber kick to touch down.

The Dragons levelled when prop Remi Casty shrugged off the attempted challenge of Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook to touch down, but Saints were always the more inventive side in the first half.

Lomax jinked his way through the Catalan defence to get prop Anthony Laffranchi over on 15 minutes and Gary Wheeler took Paul Wellens' pass to beat three defenders to score a third try.

Foster, whose three missed kicks ultimately cost his side both points in last Sunday's 36-36 draw against Hull KR, converted all three tries and also kicked a first-half penalty but Scott Dureau kept the visitors in touch with a penalty on the stroke of half-time.

Dominance

Saints quickly confirmed their dominance four minutes into the second half when 20-year-old right winger Tommy Makinson scooped up a pass from Michael Shenton by his ankles to cross for his side's fourth try.

Foster's fifth goal made it 26-8 but the French side were far from finished and set up a tense finish with a scoring burst of three tries in eight minutes.

James Roby and Makinson combined with a terrific last-ditch tackle to deny Millard but, when the Dragons moved the ball the full width of the pitch, Steve Menzies got winger Damien Blanch over on 57 minutes.

That was enough to inject renewed confidence in the Catalans side as they struck with two more tries in as many minutes.

Foster dropped Millard's kick to gift centre Vincent Duport a touchdown and Dureau finished off a break by Blanch to cut the gap to just four points.

Wheeler then looked to have come to Saints' rescue, intercepting Dureau's pass to score his second try.

However, former Saint Leon Pryce sent second rower Setaimata Sa over for a fifth Catalan try and, with the last move of the match, the visitors somehow kept the ball alive, swinging it the full width of the pitch for Millard to touch down at the corner.

That levelled the scores and, after a lengthy delay while video referee Steve Ganson scrutinised the movement, Dureau kept his nerve to land the winning goal from the touchline.

Crusaders Out of Super League

Crusaders will not play in Super League for the next three seasons after the Welsh outfit withdrew their application for a licence.

The Rugby Football League announced the 14 clubs to take part in the 2012-14 seasons at Old Trafford on Tuesday.

Wakefield Wildcats had been expected to lose their place to make way for Championship side Widnes, who were granted a new licence back in March.

Halifax had also hoped to be granted a berth but were unsuccessful.

RFL chairman Richard Lewis, who made the announcement of the licence winners, disclosed that Crusaders only decided to withdraw from the process on Monday.

"The Crusaders situation had been part of the licensing process for many months," he said.

"It came as no surprise over the last week that things were coming to a head. The final decision from Crusaders came yesterday and the RFL made its decision yesterday."

The withdrawal of Crusaders follows a troubled time for the Welsh outfit, who narrowly avoid a winding-up order after being placed in administration last November.

They were subsequently deducted four points at the start of the 2011 campaign.

The Welsh franchise were awarded a place in Super League in 2008 in a bid to expand the appeal of the 13-man code beyond its traditional heartland.

But they have struggled this term, currently lying bottom of the Super League table with only four wins from 22 games and, coincidentally, face second-from-bottom Wakefield on Sunday.

Crusaders chief executive Rod Findlay said: "This has not been an easy decision but after a lengthy and exhaustive examination of the club's finances, our view is that Crusaders is not sustainable as a Super League club at this stage.

"Every other aspect of the application was strong and we now need to work to ensure that we retain those elements, particularly the community and player pathway programmes in North Wales, an area where no rugby league was played two years ago.

"A lot of people have done a lot of work to get us to where we are now but it has become clear that we cannot continue in our current guise and so a decision was taken to withdraw our licence application.

"We will now sit down with the Rugby Football League to consider our options for 2012 and beyond. In the meantime we remain committed to finishing the current season on a high and I am sure Iestyn Harris, his coaching staff and the players will do all they can to move us up the table."

Lewis added: "The RFL will now enter into discussions with Crusaders regarding their possible participation in the Co-operative Championship."

Former Leeds and Great Britain centre Keith Senior, who recently signed a two-year deal with Crusaders, told BBC Radio 5 live he had no idea why the club had withdrawn their application.

He now believes his contract with the club is null and void as he was under the impression he would be playing in the top flight next season.

The RFL's five-strong independent board judged the franchise applications against five key criteria: commerce and marketing, facilities, finance, governance, playing strength and player performance.

Wakefield were many people's favourites to miss out on a licence after being placed in administration before being taken over by new owner Andrew Glover.

In addition, the Wildcats have endured delays to their planned new stadium.

However, their survival in the top flight was assured by the withdrawal of the Crusaders and Halifax's failure to make the grade.

Halifax chairman Michael Steele told BBC Radio Leeds he was shocked that his club had been overlooked in favour of the Wildcats.

He said: "If you compare Belle Vue with The Shay, it's no contest; if you compare playing records, it's no contest; and if you compare the financial position, we have kept our head above water and they haven't."

CRUSADERS SUPER LEAGUE FACTS

Won their franchise in the initial round of licences in 2008

Played their first season in 2009 based at Bridgend

Six players were deported in August 2009 for breaching visa regulations

After suffering financial troubles move north to Wrexham, based at The Racecourse Ground

Finish eighth in Super League XV

Deducted four points at the start of the 2011 season for going into administration in November 2010