HUNSLET 6 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 68
ALFIE INGRAM, South Leeds Stadium, Saturday
TOULOUSE Olympique guaranteed themselves a second place finish in the league and a home play-off semi-final with a dominant win over bottom-of-the-table Hunslet.
A first-half hat-trick from Anthony Marion along with a try from Thomas Lacans after just 20 minutes left Hunslet with a near impossible amount of work to do, as Toulouse ran away with the win.
Despite some early fight from the Parksiders, it took eight minutes for Toulouse to get on the scoresheet, with Anthony Marion utilising a dummy to slice through the defence and go over under the sticks.
He earned his second five minutes later, powering his way through the middle of the Hunslet defence to score from close range.
In the 16th minute, Lacans earned his first of the game, sidestepping past two Hunslet men to cross over the line.
Marion secured his hat-trick moments later, receiving a cut-out pass to leave him all alone in front of the sticks.
Stafani scored Toulouse’s fourth in the 22nd minute, pouncing onto a sloppy knock-on in the left corner.
Hands was next on the scoresheet for the visitors, latching onto a spilt ball around the 30-metre mark, going the length of the field for an excellent long-range effort.
Despite the relentless Toulouse pressure, Hunslet began to mount some pressure of their own.
Gaskell put through a good kick to the corner to win a drop-out. A determined run from Knowles left the Parksiders just short of the line, but they were held up soon after.
With six minutes remaining until half time, Toulouse got on the scoresheet again. Some smooth passing down the right wing from Shorrocks and Macron left Tropis open in the corner for an easy try.
Shorrocks, still yet to miss a conversion, added the goal, to give the visitors a 40-point half-time lead.
In the second half, Hunslet enjoyed some early possession, winning a drop-out. Rampton darted down the left wing to try and force one back for the Parksiders, but he was dragged into touch.
The Parksiders showed more fighting spirit early on in this half, with Jowitt nearly going over, but being held up.
Toulouse went on the counter, but a strong tackle from Watson momentarily held up the visitors until Lacans broke through the defence to score from close range.
Soon after, Wallace earned his first, after exploiting a gap in the right edge of the defence. Shorrocks could not convert on this occasion.
Ashall-Bott scored next, latching onto the end of Shorrocks’ chipped kick to score. He earned his second shortly after, capitalising on some poor Hunslet defence to go over from close range.
Hunslet earned a consolation try with four minutes remaining, as Rampton crossed over in the corner, with Jowitt adding the goal.
With seconds left, Toulouse added the final try of the day through Reubenn Rennie, converted by Marion, securing a dominant victory on the road to see them into the semi-final of the play-offs.
GAMESTAR: Jake Shorrocks looked dangerous every time he touched the ball for the visiting side.
GAMEBREAKER: Anthony Marion’s third of the game for Toulouse made it clear that it was going to be a long day for the home side.
MATCHFACTS
HUNSLET
4 Billy Jowitt
5 Mackenzie Turner
1 Jimmy Watson
21 Coby Nichol
23 Jack Rampton
38 Lee Gaskell
13 Michael Knowles
8 Harvey Hallas
35 Matty Fletcher
26 Ethan O’Hanlon
11 Ethan Wood
22 Harrison Gilmore
31 Kevin Larroyer
Subs (all used)
28 Zach McSwiney
15 Liam Carr
19 Liam Welham
42 Finlay Balback
Tries: Rampton (76)
Goals: Jowitt 1/1
OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
26 Romeo Tropis
5 Paul Marcon
3 Reubenn Rennie
2 Paul Ulberg
25 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
10 James Roumanos
35 Brendan Hands
17 Rob Butler
11 Maxine Stefani
28 AJ Wallace
13 Anthony Marion
Subs (all used)
14 Baptiste Rodriguez
15 Joe Cator
21 Ellis Gillam
33 Trevor Chiffolleau
Tries: Marion (8, 13, 18), Lacans (16, 57), Stafani (22), Hands (29), Tropis (34), Wallace (62), Ashall-Bolt (67, 69), Rennie (80)
Goals: Shorrocks 9/11, Marion 1/1
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 0-12, 0-18, 0-24, 0-30, 0-36, 0-40; 0-46, 0-50, 0-56, 0-62, 6-62, 6-68
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Hunslet: Jack Rampton; Toulouse: Jake Shorrocks
Penalty count: 6-4
Half-time: 0-40
Referee: Aaryn Belafonte
Attendance: 641