WAKEFIELD TRINITY secured a historic Championship treble with a rampant 36-0 thrashing of Toulouse Olympique in front of a massive 8,016 spectators at the DIY Kitchens Stadium.
Having already secured the League Leaders’ Shield and the 1895 Cup, Daryl Powell’s men went into this showpiece event with a hand on all three Championship trophies on offer in 2024.
It was nip-and-tuck early on as both sides settled into the game, with the final feel adding further pressure to the occasion.
But, Wakefield were decimated when Liam Hood was seemingly kneed in the head by Toulouse’s Olly Ashall-Bott as the latter jumped into the tackle.
A Toulouse error, however, invited Trinity pressure and the hosts took advantage, Max Jowitt feeding Derrell Olpherts in the corner in the 16th minute. Jowitt converted expertly from out wide to make it 6-0.
Daryl Powell’s side had all the momentum now and they had their second as half-time approached. A superb pass from Luke Gale saw Matty Ashurst storm through, before the second-rower played a one-two with Jowitt to canter over the line. Jowitt converted for a 12-0 lead.
In doing so, Jowitt made history with 498 points registered in a single season, overtaking Leeds’ former hero Lewis Jones, whose record of 496 points was made back in 1957.
Jermaine McGillvary was the next on the scoresheet seven minutes before half-time when Gale, Mason Lino and Isaiah Vagana combined to send over the veteran winger in the corner. Jowitt again converted to send Trinity 18-0 up.
Wakefield were purring and a brilliant Jay Pitts break laid the platform for the hosts to send the ball wide for Iain Thornley to grab a four-pointer. Jowitt this time hit the post with his conversion as Wakefield led 22-0 at half-time.
HALF-TIME: WAKEFIELD TRINITY 22-0 TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE
It was less fast and frenetic in the second-half, with the damage already being done in the first 40 minutes. As it was, it took until the 58th minute for Trinity to strike again, this time Oliver Pratt getting on the end of some slick passing on the inside. Jowitt, however, pushed the conversion wide.
Olpherts notched his second 11 minutes before the end following a pinpoint Gale chip to the corner as Jowitt left the field for a HIA. With Jowitt off the field, Gale took over the kicking duties but couldn’t convert from out wide as Trinity led 30-0.
McGillvary rounded the scoring off after Lino sent over a floated pass for the Wakefield winger before McGillvary nailed the conversion from the touchline for the biggest celebration of the night and round off the scoring at 36-0.
Wakefield Trinity
1 Max Jowitt
2 Jermaine McGillvary
4 Iain Thornley
3 Oliver Pratt
32 Derrell Olpherts
6 Luke Gale
7 Mason Lino
8 Josh Bowden
9 Liam Hood
10 Renouf Atoni
11 Matty Ashurst
19 Isaiah Vagana
13 Jay Pitts
Substitutes
5 Lachlan Walmsley
15 Caleb Uele
18 Ky Rodwell
21 Thomas Doyle
Tries: Olpherts (16, 69), Ashurst (26), McGillvary (33, 76), Thornley (37), Pratt (58)
Goals: Jowitt 3/5, Gale 0/1, McGillvary 1/1
Toulouse Olympique
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
2 Paul Ulberg
18 Guy Armitage
5 Paul Marcon
19 Benjamin Laguerre
6 Ryan Rivett
7 Jake Shorrocks
8 Lambert Belmas
9 Calum Gahan
11 Maxime Stefani
12 Dominique Peyroux
13 Anthony Marion
Substitutes
3 Reubenn Rennie
14 Eloi Pelissier
17 James Roumanos
22 Dimitri Biscarro
Half-time: 22-0
Referee: Aaron Moore
Scoring sequence: 6-0, 12-0, 18-0, 22-0; 26-0, 30-0, 36-0
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