Mitchell Pearce is forever “grateful” Catalans gave him an unexpected route out of his latest NRL controversy.
And the decorated Australian scrum-half, 32, is now striving to repay them with a maiden Super League title. He found himself at a career crossroads last autumn. Following a messy split from his fiancee, after a sexting scandal with a female Newcastle Knights colleague led to his wedding being cancelled, Pearce needed a change.
The New South Wales State of Origin star, stripped of the Newcastle captaincy after the revelations in 2020, was offered the chance to move to the south of France. And Pearce, replacing his former Origin team-mate James Maloney, has proved a hit with Les Dracs. Although last season’s League Leaders only finished fourth, they head into tonight’s elimination play-off against Leeds - which goes ahead despite the death of The Queen - firmly believing they can reach Old Trafford for a second year running.
