The bad luck for bottom-club Toulouse Olympique continues to haunt their first season in Super League.
Coach Sylvain Houles believes his side were unlucky not to come away with any points from the first-ever French derby match against Catalans Dragons in Perpignan – but that bad luck was compounded by a freak injury to one of his key players in the build-up to the game.
Former St Helens star Dominique Peyroux picked up a broken jaw in a training session prior to the Catalans’ clash leaving coach Houles grasping for some good news, or at least a little luck before Monday’s home game against Hull KR.
He told League Express: “We haven’t had much luck since we were promoted to Super League, it’s true, but we know what we are capable of and we still believe in ourselves.
“But the injury to Dominique was a real blow, for him and for us. It’s disappointing and just one more thing that we have to deal with.”
The injury was even more frustrating as Toulouse took the opportunity to opt out of this year’s Challenge Cup competition for tactical and financial reasons.
Two weeks of rest prior to the clash with Catalans should have seen a fresh and polished performance in Perpignan but it wasn’t to be in a mistake-riddled performance which left the Olympians rooted to the bottom of the league ladder.
Houles reported no further injury concerns following the Catalans clash although he did enjoy some good luck with disciplinary chiefs following sin-binnings for two of his players, Matty Russell (high tackle) and Eloi Pelissier (fighting), neither of whom was suspended, however Lucas Albert was handed a two match ban for dangerous contact.
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