Toulouse Olympique withstand late Oldham scare to go top of Championship

OLDHAM 18 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 30
IAN WILSON, Boundary Park, Saturday

OLLY ASHALL-BOTT’S hat-trick score ensured Toulouse survived a late scare at Oldham.

The Roughyeds suffered a second successive home defeat to a Championship title contender after being heavily beaten by Bradford in their previous tie at Boundary Park.

But this time, in a remarkable game, the visitors seemed to have things well in their control until a brave, if ultimately unsuccessful, comeback.

The first half began with both sides committed to error-free, hard rugby, and such was achieved in very large part.

It was the classic set-for-set pattern, and for the first quarter the two sides very much cancelled each other out, though the fare was also entertaining primarily through its high quality.

The only glimmers of points were a half-break by the returning Jumah Sambou, as well as an easy penalty-goal by Josh Drinkwater, and a touchdown direct from a scrum by the visitors’ impressive Benjamin Laguerre that was disallowed as a result of a final pass that was clearly some distance forward.

However, as the contest moved into the second quarter, Olympique’s power began to generate them more attacking ground – and their impressive halfback pair of Thomas Lacans and Joe Shorrocks showed themselves able to put their advantage to good use.

First, clever last-tackle kicks forced Oldham to defend three consecutive sets, and the inevitable happened – Matthieu Jussaume touching down a clever Lacans grubber in the 24th minute.

And five minutes later, Ashall-Bott added another touchdown under the posts, this time from a Laguerre grubber after the winger had been set free.

The second half began with a flurry of Oldham injuries, including what looked like a serious one to Sambou.

But the game itself was even enough for 15 minutes, until the visitors again struck back-to-back scores to put what was becoming a clear dominance to full account.

First Lacans went in for a solo effort from about 20 metres out, going back against the grain, and then, from the restart, a superb length-of-the-field effort was finished off by Ashall-Bott.

Shorrocks’ fourth easy conversion made the score 24-2 – game over, it seemed.

However, this Oldham side are nothing if not warriors, and a remarkable spell saw them score three tries, two from distance, within ten minutes.

Phoenix Laulu-Togagae was heavily involved as first Matty Ashurst, then Nathan Lowe, and finally Ashurst again, went over, and the margin was down to just one score with five minutes left to play.

There was to be one more try but it came from Ashall-Bott’s 80th-minute scoot in from 40 metres, giving him a deserved hat-trick.

Toulouse go top, nudging past Halifax on points difference, ahead of Sunday’s action.

GAMESTAR: Thomas Lacans was perhaps slightly the more influential of the two excellent Toulouse halfbacks.

GAMEBREAKER: In the event, the points were not secured until the 80th-minute Olympique try.

MATCHFACTS
OLDHAM
31 Phoenix Laulu-Togagae
35 Jacob Douglas
38 Ben Davies
18 Jumah Sambou
5 Nathan Lowe
7 Riley Dean
23 Josh Drinkwater
8 Gil Dudson
34 Tom Forber
19 Ted Chapelhow
11 Matty Ashurst
27 Ben Forster
13 Adam Milner
Subs (all used)
16 Pat Moran
40 Éloi Pélissier
30 George Hirst
37 Ryan Lannon

Tries: Ashurst (65, 75), Lowe (72)
Goals: Drinkwater 3/4

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