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THEY came, they saw and, even though they didn’t conquer, the Giants fans once again had the time of their lives in the South of France.

And this year more claret and gold supporters than ever were inside the Stade Gilbert Brutus to see their side in action against Catalan Dragons.

Over 1,000 Huddersfield fans made the trip to Perpignan as the Giants were narrowly beaten 27-20 and missed the opportunity to maintain their two-point lead at the top of the Super League XVII table.

That clearly took the gloss off the annual visit to the increasingly-popular destination.

But as photographer John Rushworth’s pictures show, the fans were in very good spirits throughout their stay.

And seeing more Giants fans on the road is becoming a far more common trend as the club’s profile continues to grow.

It’s a fact not lost on the players themselves, with Michael Lawrence having been keen to praise the fans immediately after last weekend’s bitterly disappointing defeat.

He’s now hoping they turn out in force for tomorrow’s home Challenge Cup clash against London Broncos when the Giants hope to reach their fourth semi-final in eight years.

“The support we’ve been getting at away games has been absolutely awesome this year,” said the back-row forward.

“But I don’t think anything could compare to what we saw in France. It was just incredible.

“Unfortunately, we couldn’t re-pay them for their efforts with a win down there, so hopefully we can make amends against London Broncos in the Cup.

“It’s another massive game for us, with a place in the semi-final at stake, and we know that the more fans we get behind us the more they can inspire us.

“We’ve got a feeling tomorrow could be another very big day for the Giants.”

The two clubs have announced their 19-man squad as follows: