Match thread. Championship Round 8. Featherstone Rovers v Toulouse Olympique. Saturday 26th April 2025, 3.00pm

[marklaspalmas]

So after a very encouraging second half v York and a much needed two points, wouldn't it be great to back that up on Saturday?

I take no responsible for the date or kick-off time which has changed more or less every week recently. I hope Ive got it right.

In terms of the team, we'll have to see if the Wynne/Namo deal goes through this week. I'm not a fan. But we do have three decent wingers (Wynne is the best atm) and we are short of impact props. If Wynne has gone, Gale will be back.

Perhaps Noah Booth will be in line for a debut? Hard to see a spot for him at centre with O'Connor & Hatton in good form.

Feels a bit early to have Reynolds back, so let's see how we go with the halfback partner for Hampshire. Not sure the tactic of putting Jones there worked at all. Later, Turner looked lost, then got into the game. Perhaps he'll start?

Up front, Vuniyayawa is still doing short spells, just 26 mins v York, but at least he had a strong impact despite a couple of missed tackles. Springer, a direct comparison, did 37 minutes and he's not 100% yet. Some less eye-catching forwards put in much bigger spells, Williams 41, Webb 47, Wilde 49, Beckett 56. Addy did the full 80.

Akauola appears to be off the radar? Perhaps still not fit? Stevens does quite big minutes when selected but lacks impact in the tackle going forward. Hopefully Boothroyd will be ready soon, or am I mis-remembering that?

As we've all said, this is virtually an anyone-can-beat-anyone league, so let's see what kind of side Toulouse bring.

 

[Banjorovers]

Let's hope the 2nd half team response turns up for 80 minutes this week! Come on lads you can do it!UTR

[Cas rover]

If HKR insist on a starting place for Booth, l was told he can play in the halves as well as three quarter, if Reynolds isn't fit yet.

 

[marklaspalmas]

1 hour ago, Cas rover said:

If HKR insist on a starting place for Booth, l was told he can play in the halves as well as three quarter, if Reynolds isn't fit yet.

 

Maybe worth taking a look at. Toulouse will be a challenging game for him to slot in and make his debut 

[Squidward]

I wouldn't put Booth under pressure by playing him at half back so soon but could be an option later in the season. Cook should be a good judge of that.

Also I think it would be extremely harsh on Turner. He passed his 2nd audition in that role coming off the bench v York. He adds variety especially with his grubbers. Hampshire likes a chip and chase to utilise his speed. Between them they provide options albeit without the killer passing ability that Reynolds has.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Yeah, I think Booth played once at half back in a dominant Wakefield team last year but most of his games have been at full back, centre or wing and asking him to run the left side offence of a team he's only recently joined against a strong team like Toulouse would be a huge ask, and in any case as you say Turner showed up well against York after a shakey start and has been training at half back for most of the season, will know all the calls etc. If Booth plays for us in the next game or two my guess is it will be on the wing.

It will be interesting to see if Reynolds plays this week, it was noticeable in the Oldham game that Hampshire and Aekins did all the kicking until Reynolds' late up and under for Hardcastle's try, maybe the 2-week gap since that Oldham game will be enough for him to be considered fit to play.

Seems to be common knowledge now that Springer got a 2-game ban for his red card at Oldham so if that's officially confirmed he'll miss this game and the Widnes away one.

This game is hard to predict, Toulouse I think would have beaten any team in the division on the form they showed when thrashing Bradford a few weeks ago but they lost at Doncaster the other week and continue to look much more vulnerable on their travels than at home. They do have the considerable advantage of having had a week off since their last game though.

Regarding Vuniyayaywa's low minute counts, I wondered if it was a deliberate ploy to leave him off until after half time once we knew we were downhill in the second half against York, he and Springer are probably our two strongest-running forwrds and it certainly helepd that both were relatively fresh in that second half. That's the second home game running that we have lost the toss and our opponents have chosen to play downhill in the first half which is interesting to say the least.

 

[Squidward]

Personally I would always choose to play up the slope or against the elements in the first half. 

Conceding a potential lead would always be trumped by the fact that 

1. The advantage of the conditions is usually enhanced by the fatigue of the players so scoring seems more likely imo

2. There's often a feeling out period of 10 mins or so in the first half where an external advantage is lessened.

I'm sure others think differently. 

[The Phantom Horseman]

8 minutes ago, Squidward said:

Personally I would always choose to play up the slope or against the elements in the first half. 

Conceding a potential lead would always be trumped by the fact that 

1. The advantage of the conditions is usually enhanced by the fatigue of the players so scoring seems more likely imo

2. There's often a feeling out period of 10 mins or so in the first half where an external advantage is lessened.

I'm sure others think differently. 

100% this and for the reasons you outline. At Batley it's almost unheard of for the team winning the toss to play downhill in the first half.

Our slope isn't really remotely like Batley of course and often it seems to have little impact on the outcome, but unless there was a strong wind that was forecast to change at half time, I don't think I'd ever be tempted to choose downhill in the 1st half.

[Phil Briscoe]

3 hours ago, Squidward said:

Personally I would always choose to play up the slope or against the elements in the first half. 

Conceding a potential lead would always be trumped by the fact that 

1. The advantage of the conditions is usually enhanced by the fatigue of the players so scoring seems more likely imo

2. There's often a feeling out period of 10 mins or so in the first half where an external advantage is lessened.

I'm sure others think differently. 

Completely agree but I think the period is often referred to as the ‘arm wrestle’ and is seen as lasting 20-30mins until one team finally cracks but for sure better to be downhill second half all day long when the ‘fatigue factor’ becomes a bigger thing. 

[fevnut]

T’Other Side:  Toulouse Olympique

fevnut has posted ‘T’Other Side:  Toulouse Olympique’, our comprehensive guide to our next opponents.

In it we include their 2025 squad and a list of their new signings, their stats for this season and the details of their last match.

Other features include a list of their 2025 results, profiles of their coach and captain and a section that takes a look at players who have played for them and played for Fev as well.

Access the page by clicking on the attachment below.

https://bit.ly/4jBEjTc

[fevnut]

PAST MATCHES BETWEEN TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE AND FEATHERSTONE ROVERS

fevnut has posted ‘Past Matches against Toulouse Olympique’, an informative listing of all official matches between the two clubs.

You will also find the details of the last match between us, the overall record of results and records in the matches such as highest scores, record winning margins etc.

Do check out the results in 2011!!

The results section is divided into league matches, challenge cup games and other competitions such as play-offs, premierships, national league cup, John Player Trophy etc.

Access the charts by clicking on the attachment below.

https://bit.ly/42Fnm3b

[fevnut]

THIS WEEK’S REFEREE: Fev v Toulouse Olympique

fevnut has posted ‘This week’s referee: Fev v Toulouse Olympique’ (Championship Round 8)’.

For the first time ever, we note not only the referee, but also the reserve referee for a very good reason that Fev fans will understand when you see who it is!

Access the information by clicking on the link below.

https://bit.ly/3GmEQdg

[RobLambert]

On 21/04/2025 at 16:10, The Phantom Horseman said:

Seems to be common knowledge now that Springer got a 2-game ban for his red card at Oldham so if that's officially confirmed he'll miss this game and the Widnes away one.

Serious question but where do you find this info out ?  RFL disciplinary site as of this afternoon was not that up to date.  Same place as where we find out kick off times maybe ?

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 hours ago, RobLambert said:

Serious question but where do you find this info out ?  RFL disciplinary site as of this afternoon was not that up to date.  Same place as where we find out kick off times maybe ?

Terry Mullaney who is a reliable source put it on the fans' Facebook page. But you are spot on about the RFL website, I was checking it regularly and there's still nothing either on their homepage (where they usually announce the Match Review Panel outcomes) or on the disciplinary page.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Somebody must have been reading this page...in the last hour the RFL have updated their disciplinary page and there is a bit about Springer. His incident was assessed at 15 points, which I think consists of 12 points for a Grade D offence, plus 3 additional points because the player involved had to leave the field (I reckon he is also meant to lose 1 point because he was actually sent off, though it doesn't specify that).

15 points equals a 2-game ban plus a fine, so he will miss the Toulouse and Widnes games, meaning ironically he'll be able to return for the 1895 Cup game against Oldham.

The 15 points is actually more problematic than the ban. He will have to be very careful for a long time now, because that stays on his record for a year and any further points will be added to that tally and lead to a bigger ban. For instance, a fairly minor Grade B incident, which only carries 3 points, would take him to eighteen points and lead to a 3-game ban, whilst another 15-point Grade D ban would take him to 30 points and lead to a 5-game ban.

[Cas rover]

1 hour ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

Somebody must have been reading this page...in the last hour the RFL have updated their disciplinary page and there is a bit about Springer. His incident was assessed at 15 points, which I think consists of 12 points for a Grade D offence, plus 3 additional points because the player involved had to leave the field (I reckon he is also meant to lose 1 point because he was actually sent off, though it doesn't specify that).

15 points equals a 2-game ban plus a fine, so he will miss the Toulouse and Widnes games, meaning ironically he'll be able to return for the 1895 Cup game against Oldham.

The 15 points is actually more problematic than the ban. He will have to be very careful for a long time now, because that stays on his record for a year and any further points will be added to that tally and lead to a bigger ban. For instance, a fairly minor Grade B incident, which only carries 3 points, would take him to eighteen points and lead to a 3-game ban, whilst another 15-point Grade D ban would take him to 30 points and lead to a 5-game ban.

Thanks for the explanation, we don't seem to get many A or B grades do we !

[The Phantom Horseman]

6 minutes ago, Cas rover said:

Thanks for the explanation, we don't seem to get many A or B grades do we !

They're clamping down on two things really - incidents that are a possible cause of head injury/concussion, and also repeat offenders.

So things like forceful contact to the head (whether swinging arm or punch), and forceful dangerous throws, are always going to come under category D or higher.

[Banjorovers]

Cust almost decapitated theopposition player and received next to nowt. Think Springer is badly done to! Oops that SL of course!

[sentoffagain2]

  Just dropped daughter in law off at train station,believe it or not she is playing in a Roller Derby invitation tournament in Toulouse this weekend.She plays for Manchester Rainy City who have games against Antwerp and Helsinki on the first day Sat.She is in the England World Cup Squad who will be playing later this year in Innsbruck,Austria.They are playing where the Winter Olympics was held in the early 1960's.

[haskey]

Sounds like a bit of a super star your daughter in law

[Fevrover]

29 minutes ago, sentoffagain2 said:

  Just dropped daughter in law off at train station,believe it or not she is playing in a Roller Derby invitation tournament in Toulouse this weekend.She plays for Manchester Rainy City who have games against Antwerp and Helsinki on the first day Sat.She is in the England World Cup Squad who will be playing later this year in Innsbruck,Austria.They are playing where the Winter Olympics was held in the early 1960's.

. 

[Gooleboy]

5 hours ago, The Phantom Horseman said:

They're clamping down on two things really - incidents that are a possible cause of head injury/concussion, and also repeat offenders.

So things like forceful contact to the head (whether swinging arm or punch), and forceful dangerous throws, are always going to come under category D or higher.

Clamping down in the lower leagues maybe, but there has only been one red card in the SL this season!

[sentoffagain2]

20 minutes ago, haskey said:

Sounds like a bit of a super star your daughter in law

  You wouldn't believe it She won European Cup medals with the Mens side and the Ladies 2023 and 2019.Besides running her own business and doing about 5 gigs a month for Katie O 'briens in Harrogate and Sheffield.

[SUPERSTUD]

On 21/04/2025 at 16:10, The Phantom Horseman said:

Yeah, I think Booth played once at half back in a dominant Wakefield team last year but most of his games have been at full back, centre or wing and asking him to run the left side offence of a team he's only recently joined against a strong team like Toulouse would be a huge ask, and in any case as you say Turner showed up well against York after a shakey start and has been training at half back for most of the season, will know all the calls etc. If Booth plays for us in the next game or two my guess is it will be on the wing.

It will be interesting to see if Reynolds plays this week, it was noticeable in the Oldham game that Hampshire and Aekins did all the kicking until Reynolds' late up and under for Hardcastle's try, maybe the 2-week gap since that Oldham game will be enough for him to be considered fit to play.

Seems to be common knowledge now that Springer got a 2-game ban for his red card at Oldham so if that's officially confirmed he'll miss this game and the Widnes away one.

This game is hard to predict, Toulouse I think would have beaten any team in the division on the form they showed when thrashing Bradford a few weeks ago but they lost at Doncaster the other week and continue to look much more vulnerable on their travels than at home. They do have the considerable advantage of having had a week off since their last game though.

Regarding Vuniyayaywa's low minute counts, I wondered if it was a deliberate ploy to leave him off until after half time once we knew we were downhill in the second half against York, he and Springer are probably our two strongest-running forwrds and it certainly helepd that both were relatively fresh in that second half. That's the second home game running that we have lost the toss and our opponents have chosen to play downhill in the first half which is interesting to say the least.

 

Regarding young Booth. Requires plenty of practice in order to bolster his defensive skills which are way off at this moment in time. Most of if not all of his try’s at Hunslet have been the result of interceptions albeit of his own making. However good offensive opposition teams will pop a pass over the top of him or dink a kick in behind him. Still got loads and loads to learn which is only to be expected at this stage. IMHO Fev is the correct club for him to continue his development. At some point a future desired position needs to be worked out and worked on. Honestly don’t see him as a centre at this stage due to obvious defensive frailties. I do think he possess the ability to go on and become a good player.

[The Phantom Horseman]

Squad announced for Saturday's game. Springer is suspended, but Toby Boothroyd is back in the squad (remains to be seen if he plays). If Akauola is considered to be at match fitness this would be an interesting game to bring him back against his former team. Connor Wynne is in the 21 despite the rumours, and Noah Booth also makes the 21, although it's hard to see where he'd get a game. Wilde's one-month loan is up so he drops out.

Much the most significant decision of course will be whether Reynolds is adjudged fit to play.