CEDRIC GARCIA has hailed Toulouse Olympique head coach Sylvain Houles as a natural leader after the club shocked the rest of Super League in 2026.
The French side earned promotion to the top-flight via an application process this time last year.
And though Toulouse had been in Super League before – in 2022 when they finished last and were relegated – they were widely predicted to finish bottom of the ladder again.
But those predictions proved to be wide of the mark as the Olympians finished eighth – in front of French rivals Catalans Dragons and ahead of established Super League sides such as Castleford Tigers and Hull FC.
Houles’ men played some attractive Rugby League, with the likes of Olly Ashall-Bott and Mathieu Jussaume earning special praise, with the latter even made the Super League Dream Team.
45-year-old Houles has been at the helm since 2013, and he doesn’t look like letting up.
And now Garcia has explained just why he has been so successful at Toulouse.
“Sylvain is a very smart guy, who is not afraid to evolve and that’s one of the keys to his longevity,” Garcia told League Express.
“He is really close to his players, he listens to them as he knows the importance of their feedback. They are the ones on the field.
“The game is moving fast and you always need to reinvent yourself. Sylvain has a participative management, he takes everything on board and then makes his decisions.
“He is also a natural leader, who is loved and who people like to follow.
“The way he sees the game and his human values are a perfect match with our club and as long as we are improving, this relationship could still last for a long time.
“I might be biased as we have been working together for 13 years but I definitely sure hope so.”
