Eden scores hat-trick and Gale returns in Tigers' rout of Dragons

Castleford Tigers virtually assured a top-four place in the Super 8s with a 36-4 victory over Catalans Dragons that featured a Greg Eden hat-trick and Luke Gale's return from injury.

The Tigers moved into third place in the table with an eight-point advantage over fifth-placed Huddersfield Giants, as Catalans suffered a loss in their first game since winning the Challenge Cup for the first time in their history at Wembley.

Castleford had Gale back from an injury that had kept him out since April and he kicked five conversions and a penalty, as well as being instrumental in the six tries his team scored.

Gale set up two of the three first-half scores that earned Castleford an 18-0 advantage at the interval and in the second half Eden would cross twice more to complete his hat-trick.

Last year's Grand Final winners Leeds Rhinos still have work to do in the Qualifiers as Hull KR gave their hopes of survival a shot in the arm with a 38-36 victory at Headingley.

In a back-and-forth contest that featured 13 combined tries, the lead changed hands five times and Craig Hall was instrumental in Rovers' success with three tries and five goals.

Toronto Wolfpack followed up their two regular-season victories over London Broncos with a 34-22 victory in the Qualifiers.

Toronto had been 32-0 up before the Broncos rallied to make the margin of victory less handsome.

Elsewhere, Mark Kheirallah was responsible for 22 points in Toulouse Olympique's 42-22 success over Widnes Vikings.