TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 46 BATLEY BULLDOGS 22
PETER BIRD, Stade Ernest Wallon, Saturday

TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE cruised to a comfortable win in the late summer heat against a committed and lively Batley side who kept going to the end.

Bulldogs head coach John Kear, in his penultimate match before a well earned retirement was happy enough. “We looked good for the first half hour but were destroyed by the sheer pace ten minutes either side of the break.”

Batley started well, opening the scoring in the ninth minute with Nyle Flynn crashing over to the right of the posts after good work from Adam Gledhill. Robbie Butterworth completed the six.

The lead only lasted four minutes as the hosts gained parity through Lebanon international prop James Roumanos who strolled through to score following good work from Mathieu Jussaume close to the posts. Jake Shorrocks added the conversion.

Toulouse looked the more confident but it was the visitors who again took the lead at the end of the first quarter with left winger Jack Render unmarked on the left touchline with time to cross over with ease with Benjamin Laguerre looking on. Butterworth slotted home expertly from out left.

Toulouse were scrappy and scored somewhat against the run of play nine minutes before the interval as the speedy Olly Ashall-Bott ran through unopposed on the right side after more good work from Jussaume. Shorrocks surprisingly pushed his kick left.

Four minutes later the French extended their lead to four points after a Thomas Lacans break from halfway was finished off by the powerful Paul Ulberg with Shorrocks on hand to kick the easy points. Time for one more four-pointer before the interval as Ashall-Bott completed his double with Shorrocks on target with the boot as the hooter sounded.

Toulouse started the second period as they finished the first as Brendan Hands crashed over close the posts one minute in. Shorrocks kicked well as the floodgates threatened to open.

Two minutes later the game was effectively over as Shorrocks himself scored a rare try with conversion following an excellent break from stand-in centre Radean Robinson from halfway.

Batley stuck to their task and heads didn’t drop as Toulouse took the foot off the pedal. Promising youngster Romeo Tropis, impressing yet again at left centre crossed over from a neat outside Ashall-Bott pass on fifty six minutes as the Bulldogs defenders looked on left of the posts. Shorrocks again kicked well.

Batley enjoyed a revival in the latter stages with veteran Dane Manning strolling over close to the posts with fifteen minutes remaining after more good work from halfback Ben White.

Butterworth kicked the two-pointer but just missed an attempt five minutes later as Joe Burton dived in the right corner unmarked as Toulouse failed to prevent the neat outside pass from right centre Connor Carr.

There was just enough time for leading try scorer Laguerre to cross over after good work from young hooker Baptiste Rodriguez and Robinson.

Toulouse coach Sylvain Houles was satisfied with the display. “We weren’t great but got the job done, especially after the last couple of bruising encounters, we rested a few players who needed the break.”

GAMESTAR: The pace of fullback Olly Ashall-Bott caused Batley grief for the full eighty.

GAMEBREAKER: Brendan Hands try just after the break to seal the game.

MATCHFACTS
OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
2 Paul Ulberg
26 Romeo Tropis
27 Radean Robinson
19 Benjamin Laguerre
25 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
10 James Roumanos
35 Brendan Hands
17 Rob Butler
4 Mathieu Jussaume
11 Maxime Stefani
13 Anthony Marion
Subs (all used)
14 Baptiste Rodriguez
15 Joe Cator
28 Ajanhi Wallace
32 Trevor Chiffoleau

Tries: Roumanos (13), Ashall-Bott (31, 38), Ulberg (35), Hands (41), Shorrocks (43), Tropis (56), Laguerre (74)
Goals: Shorrocks 7/8

BULLDOGS
5 Elliot Kear
2 Joe Burton
36 Connor Carr
3 Ollie Greensmith
19 Jack Render
1 Robbie Butterworth
6 Ben White
8 Adam Gledhill
14 Brandon Moore
10 Luke Cooper
11 Dane Manning
15 Nyle Flynn
31 Noah High
Subs (all used)
22 Luca Atkinson
13 James Brown
9 Alistair Leak
– Ellis Lingard

Tries: Flynn (9), Render (21), Manning (65), Burton (71)
Goals: Butterworth 3/4

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0–6, 6–6, 6–12, 10–12, 16–12, 22–12; 28–12, 34–12, 40–12, 40–18, 40–22, 46-22

Rugby League and League Express Men of the Match
Olympique: Olly Ashall-Bott; Bulldogs: Adam Gledhill

Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 22-12
Referee: Geoffrey Poumès
Attendance: 3,739