TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 16 LEIGH LEOPARDS 40
PETER BIRD, Stade Ernest Wallon, Saturday

LEIGH handled punishing heat of 40C with Josh Charnley benefitting to the tune of four record-extending tries.

Returning to fitness two weeks after breaking the Super League try record with a 272nd effort, Charnley pulled five clear of Ryan Hall in the competition with a clinical display in Toulouse.

He’s also up to 20 this season alone, behind only Hall’s Leeds team-mate Maika Sivo –
some effort considering he turned 35 the day before this game.

The Leopards, who are now well and truly in play-off contention, were the more positive from the start despite the oppressive conditions.

Toulouse resisted the early pressure but conceded possession in the fifth minute close to their line and were punished by the prolific Charnley.

There was a repeat performance eight minutes later with more good movement to the right side by the Leopards as a looping outside pass from Umyla Hanley was collected perfectly by Charnley to push over again in the corner.

Two missed goals from Adam Cook kept it at 8-0 but his side defended that lead well. A piece of magic from Toulouse stand-off Jake Shorrocks two minutes later was rewarded with a 40/20 and the French pressed but Leigh held firm close to their line.

Charnley then made it a 24-minute hat-trick of tries as he pounced in the corner, this time from a Hanley scoop from the ground three metres out. Once more, Cook couldn’t convert from wide.

The hosts had chances and half-chances but squandered some good positions with bad handling. Leigh took full advantage and extended their lead before the interval with Jacob Alick-Wiencke using his strength to score to the right of the posts after a strong break from halfway from Lachlan Lam.

Cook this time made no mistake from the boot, putting the Leopards 18 points ahead at the break.

With the temperature dropping a few degrees in the second half it was the same old story for Olympique. Wayward handling cost them dearly four minutes in with the visitors taking advantage through winger Innes Senior, easing over in the left corner after a pin-point outside pass from Tesi Nui.

And things got worse still as a Leigh interception was finished under the posts by that man Charnley as the hapless Toulouse defenders looked on. Cook successfully kicked his first conversion of the second half.

In the 50th minute it was the turn of Niu to add his name to the scoresheet with a blistering 30-metre run to the left corner, where Cook slotted home the latest kick.

Toulouse were shell-shocked but battled on as Leigh seemed to ease their foot off the pedal, conceding three tries in a ten-minute spell.

They opened their account with Ethan Quai-Ward pushing over from a Thomas Lacans grubber.

Shorrocks couldn’t manage the kick from wide right but made amends with the other two, after Rob Butler powered under the posts and a blistering break by Benjamin Laguerre was finished off in the right corner by Reubenn Rennie, back from injury.

Despite Toulouse enjoying their best period of the match it was Leigh hooker Liam Horne who polished off the scoring with a well-deserved touchdown five minutes from time and Cook’s fourth goal.

GAMESTAR: Josh Charnley rolled back the years with four classic tries.

GAMEBREAKER: The Jacob Alick-Wiencke try just before the break sealed the points.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: Benjamin Laguerre defied the conditions with a blistering break to set up the final Toulouse try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Josh Charnley (Leigh)
2 pts Lachlan Lam (Leigh)
1 pt Umyla Hanley (Leigh)

MATCHFACTS

OLYMPIQUE
29 César Rougé
5 Benjamin Laguerre
3 Reubenn Rennie
39 Ethan Quai-Ward
28 Mathieu Pons
6 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
10 James Roumanos
9 Brendan Hands
8 Lambert Belmas
11 Maxime Stefani
20 AJ Wallace
15 Joe Cator
Subs (all used)
13 Anthony Marion
17 Rob Butler
30 Tiaki Chan
40 John Toleafoa
18th man (not used)
21 Ellis Gillam
Also in 21-man squad
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
2 Paul Ulberg
19 Roméo Tropis

Tries: Quai-Ward (58), Butler (66), Rennie (68)
Goals: Shorrocks 2/3

LEOPARDS
1 David Armstrong
19 Innes Senior
3 Tesi Niu
4 Umyla Hanley
5 Josh Charnley
6 Adam Cook
7 Lachlan Lam
8 Joe Ofahengaue
17 Liam Horne
10 Robbie Mulhern
11 Frankie Halton
15 Jacob Alick-Wiencke
13 Isaac Liu
Subs (all used)
9 Edwin Ipape
12 Owen Trout
18 Bailey Hodgson
25 Louis Brogan
18th man (not used)
16 Matt Davis
Also in 21-man squad
14 Aaron Pene
21 Gareth O’Brien
24 Ben McNamara

Tries: Charnley (6, 14, 24, 46), Alick-Wiencke (34), Senior (44), Niu (50), Horne (75)
Goals: Cook 4/8

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0–4, 0–8, 0–12, 0–18; 0–22, 0–28, 0–34, 4–34, 10–34, 16–34, 16–40

Rugby League and League Express Men of the Match
Olympique: Jake Shorrocks; Leopards: Josh Charnley

Penalty count: 4-4
Half-time: 0-18
Referee: Tara Jones
Attendance: 3,740