FEATHERSTONE ROVERS 10 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 18
CHRISTIAN LEE, Millennium Stadium, Saturday
FLYING winger Benjamin Laguerre’s first-half double proved enough for Toulouse to secure victory over Featherstone on their return to Championship action.
Maxime Stefani added a try late on for the visitors to seal the win despite Derrell Olpherts and Jordan Williams crossing in reply.
Featherstone threatened early through a Clay Webb line break, but it was Toulouse who struck first through Laguerre.
Lambert Belmas almost crashed over in the middle before the ball was spread wide to Laguerre, who touched down in the corner despite the best efforts of Connor Wynne. Jake Shorrocks’ conversion attempt drifted wide.
Rovers looked to have levelled the game shortly after when Danny Addy pounced on a high kick spilt by Paul Marcon, however the score was chalked off as Marcon was adjudged to have been tackled in the air.
The disappointment was compounded for the home fans as Laguerre then crossed for his second, this time displaying some sharp footwork to avoid the covering Jayden Hatton and dot down in the corner.
Shorrocks was off target again for the conversion, but the halfback was able to tag on a couple of penalty goals following Featherstone infractions, pushing Toulouse’s lead out to two converted tries at the break.
Rovers did look dangerous at times with the ball, despite struggling for territory, and could have reduced their deficit minutes before the break. However, Wynne was unable to gather in a wayward pass from Hatton when Featherstone created space out wide.
This continued after the break as Featherstone began to attack down the hill. But once again, in the crucial moments, execution was lacking out wide.
The second half was largely dominated by the forwards as both sides fought for field position, and it would take until the 65-minute mark for Featherstone to finally break Toulouse’s strong resistance.
Following a big tackle from Josh Hardcastle, which dislodged the ball from Baptiste Rodriguez, Rovers repeatedly threatened to cross the line before they shifted the ball right and Olpherts was able to touch down in the corner.
Ryan Hampshire’s conversion attempt drifted to the right, keeping Toulouse’s lead beyond the one score, and the home side’s hopes of a late comeback were dashed with seven minutes to go as Stefani crossed for Toulouse’s third try.
Olly Ashall-Bott’s grubber kick was spilt by Rovers, and Stefani gathered the ball and reached out for the score that sealed victory for the visitors.
Anthony Marion, deputising for the injured Shorrocks, made no mistake with the simple conversion to give Olympique a 14-point lead with less than six minutes to go.
Late on, Rodriguez was shown a yellow card for an off-the-ball tackle and Featherstone were able to add a late consolation try when Williams intercepted the ball as Toulouse looked to spread it wide inside their own half.
Hampshire added the extras from in front of the posts, but it was too little, too late for the home side, who suffered their sixth defeat from eight this season.
GAMESTAR: Olly Ashall-Bott was a rock under the high ball all game and popped up at key moments in attack, including helping to set up Toulouse’s final score.
GAMEBREAKER: Featherstone threatened a late comeback after Derell Olpherts’ try, but Maxime Stefani touching down with less than ten minutes to go left them too much to do.
MATCHFACTS
ROVERS
1 Caleb Aekins
2 Derrell Olpherts
24 Bailey O’Connor
4 Jayden Hatton
23 Connor Wynne
6 Ben Reynolds
28 Ryan Hampshire
15 Sitaleki Akauola
9 Will Jubb
10 Jimmy Beckett
12 Toby Boothroyd
17 Clay Webb
13 Danny Addy
Subs (all used)
14 Connor Jones
20 Josh Hardcastle
21 Jordan Williams
5 Gareth Gale
Tries: Olpherts (65), Williams (78)
Goals: Hampshire 1/2
OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
2 Paul Ulberg
3 Reubenn Rennie
5 Paul Marcon
19 Benjamin Laguerre
25 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
8 Lambert Belmas
13 Anthony Marion
17 Rob Butler
11 Maxime Stefani
4 Mathieu Jussaume
15 Joe Cator
Subs (all used)
14 Baptiste Rodriguez
10 James Roumanos
20 Greg Richards
16 Joe Bretherton
Tries: Laguerre (9, 20), Stefani (72)
Goals: Shorrocks 2/4, Marion 1/1
Sin bin: Rodriguez (76) – tackle off the ball
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-4, 0-8, 0-10, 0-12; 4-12, 4-18, 10-18
Rugby Leaguer & League Express Men of the Match
Rovers: Clay Webb; Olympique: Olly Ashall-Bott
Penalty count: 11-5
Half-time: 0-12
Referee: Matty Lynn