Richie Mathers keeps Warrington Wolves in the title hunt

Warrington followed St Helens in capitalising on Wigan's surprise defeat by Harlequins on Friday night when they moved within two points of the leaders with a 40-6 win against the Catalans Dragons yesterday. Richie Mathers scored two of the Wolves' tries as they climbed above Saints, who beat Leeds 41-20 at Knowsley Road on Saturday, on points difference. However, Mathers' worst fears about his future at Warrington were confirmed by the Huddersfield coach Nathan Brown after his team's impressive 38-10 win against the Crusaders in Wrexham. Brown said in a post-match interview that the Giants' Australian captain, Brett Hodgson, who missed the game with a thigh injury, will join Warrington next season. He is expected to replace Mathers at full-back. The Wolves have so far refused to confirm the move. Huddersfield's other Hodgson, the former Great Britain wing David, scored a hat-trick as the Yorkshire side consolidated their position in the top four, two points behind Warrington and Saints. Castleford recorded a 30-12 victory over Salford that eased the pressure on their under-fire coach, Terry Matterson. A try by the promising youngster Jordan Thompson decided what was an often dour contest. The Tigers' last two home games had ended with supporter protests, amid a run of four straight defeats that included a loss to Barrow in the Challenge Cup. Though Matterson's side rarely sparkled, there was sufficient commitment to suggest they can continue to improve in the coming weeks. "We got the result and that was the important thing," Matterson said. "We still have to do better, but I was really pleased with how the players bounced back and the way they went about it. They were very hungry today and have to come back like that every week." Ben Jones-Bishop, the young Harlequins full-back who suffered a depressed fracture in his skull during his team's win at Wigan, was released from hospital yesterday morning and hopes to play again this season. The 21-year-old, who is on loan from Leeds, is awaiting scan results but the Harlequins coach, Brian McDermott, said last night: "There shouldn't be anything sinister, as he is up and about. He'll probably be out for six weeks or so while the hole in his forehead heals."