NOT only did Toulouse finish in second place in the Championship table and lose the Grand Final to Wakefield, they also came in one place short of a Super League spot this season under club grading.
So near to their dreams of a top-flight return in some ways, yet so far in others.
Having been overtaken in the gradings by several clubs who gave a laser-like focus to scoring points, it may be that Toulouse choose a similar approach this year.
Not that they will be uncompetitive on the field, with almost exactly the same squad, minus Harrison Hansen, Éloi Pélissier, Guy Armitage and Sitaleki Akauola, and the sole addition prop Rob Butler, a top-flight regular last season.
Stade Ernest Wallon will likely remain a tough away trip, and with Ryan Rivett and Jake Shorrocks in command of an exciting back division, points should not be hard to come by.
Watch out for… Prolific backrower Maxime Stefani, the only non-back three player in the Championship’s top ten try-scorers last season. After making his club debut in Toulouse’s Super League season, he scored 13 tries in 2023 and then 16 in 2024. The 26-year-old may be something of a late bloomer but he has a knack for running defence-splitting lines, plus neat footwork and the pace to support breaks.
Squad: 1 Olly Ashall-Bott, 2 Paul Ulberg, 3 Reubenn Rennie, 4 Mathieu Jussaume, 5 Paul Marcon, 7 Jake Shorrocks, 8 Lambert Belmas, 9 Calum Gahan, 10 James Roumanos, 11 Maxime Stefani, 12 Dominique Peyroux, 13 Anthony Marion, 14 Baptiste Rodriguez, 15 Joe Cator, 16 Joe Bretherton, 17 Rob Butler, 18 Paolo Dall’Asta, 19 Benjamin Laguerre, 20 Greg Richards, 21 Ellis Gillam, 22 Dimitri Biscarro, 23 Robin Brochon, 24 Pierre-Jean Lima.
Rugby League World predicts: 3rd
First published in Rugby League World magazine, Issue 505 (February 2025)
