TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 24 LONDON BRONCOS 16
PETER BIRD, Stade Ernest Wallon, Sunday
TOULOUSE stretched their unbeaten run to six games but they made hard work of it at times against a spirited London side.
“We played well today and matched them, but their kicking game was the difference in the end,” explained Broncos coach Mike Eccles.
A frenetic first half, littered by errors from both sides, made the outcome at times unpredictable.
But it was the Broncos who deservedly opened the scoring in the ninth minute after a swift combination involving hooker Curtis Davies, Connor O’Beirne and fullback Luke Polselli, with the killer inside pass to Ethan Natoli, who was on hand to cross over close to the posts for a converted try.
Toulouse had sporadic attacks with were easily defended thanks to some poor close kicking from Anthony Marion and others when better options beckoned.
But they did level the scores at the end of the first quarter after a blistering 40 metre cross-field break from Olly Ashall-Bott was clinically finished off by the strong running left centre Reubenn Rennie to the left of the posts to level the scores.
It was no surprise when London again took advantage just before the half-hour with prop Huw Worthington stunning the off-guard Toulouse defence under the posts.
As the game looked to be drifting to the break the hosts levelled the scores yet again after a speculative grubber on the last by Jake Shorrocks was fumbled in the Broncos’ in-goal area, with the quick thinking Ashall-Bott touching down just before the dead-ball line.
It was much of the same at the start of the second half, with Toulouse errors again costing dearly, but it was the French who threatened with Thomas Lacans thinking he had scored on 48 minutes, only to be refused for obstruction.
Two minutes later, however, Lacans made amends with a clean finish to a bobbling ball under the posts. Shorrocks added the goal and Toulouse were in front for the first time.
Davies prevented them from going further ahead as he dived brilliantly in the right corner to deny Benjamin Laguerre a certain try.
At the other end, winger Brandon Webster-Mansfield was pushed into touch close to the left corner flag.
There were some tense moments as Toulouse enjoyed more of the ball, only to be frustrated by some solid defending.
With 16 minutes remaining Toulouse forward Joe Cator crossed under posts but was deemed to have knocked on.
London survived some close calls being penned in for much of the time but they survived and closed the gap with ten remaining as left winger Connor Barley pushed over in the corner following excellent support play from Davies and man of the match Polselli. Smith pulled the tricky touchline goal attempt wide to leave the margin at two points.
These were nervy moments for Toulouse but Benjamin Laguerre sealed the game with two minutes remaining after a pin-point bomb to the left corner was well collected and cleanly finished off.
Toulouse head coach Sylvain Houles was a relieved man post-match, saying: “It was a tough game with too many errors, but we battled hard and got the points.”
GAMESTAR: Luke Polselli shone at fullback, working hard all over the pitch for the full eighty minutes.
GAMEBREAKER: The Benjamin Laguerre touchdown in the corner with only two minutes remaining.
MATCHFACTS
OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
2 Paul Ulberg
3 Reubenn Rennie
5 Paul Marcon
19 Benjamin Laguerre
25 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
8 Lambert Belmas
13 Anthony Marion
17 Rob Butler
16 Joe Bretherton
11 Maxime Stefani
15 Joe Cator
Subs (all used)
27 Radean Robinson
10 James Roumanos
21 Ellis Gillam
18 Paolo Dall’asta
Tries: Rennie (20), Ashall-Bott (35), Lacans (50), Laguerre (78)
Goals: Shorrocks 4/4
BRONCOS
6 Luke Polselli
33 Jack Smith
4 Brandon Webster-Mansfield
20 Aaron Small
34 Connor Barley
1 Alex Walker
7 Connor O’Beirne
8 Huw Worthington
9 Curtis Davies
16 Kian McDermott
11 Will Lovell
3 Ethan Natoli
13 Marcus Stock
Subs (all used)
19 Lukas Mason
22 Matt Ross
5 Liam Tindall
18 Ben Hursey-Hord
Tries: Natoli (9), Worthington (28), Barley (70)
Goals: Smith 2/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0–6, 6–6, 6–12, 12–12; 18–12, 18–16, 24–16
Rugby League and League Express Men of the Match
Olympique: Paul Ulberg; Broncos: Luke Polselli
Penalty count: 4-5
Half-time: 12-12
Referee: Matty Lynn
Attendance: 4,136