TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 14 WIDNES VIKINGS 18
PETER BIRD, Stade Ernest-Wallon, Saturday
WIDNES brushed aside one of the title favourites in an impressive, if somewhat controversial, start to the new Championship season.
Toulouse led by eight points going into the final quarter but tries by Matt Fleming and Ryan Lannon ultimately secured a comeback victory, despite the hosts thinking they’d done enough to earn at least a point late on.
With five minutes remaining winger Benjamin Laguerre went over on the right edge with the referee initially awarding the try that would have levelled the scores at 18-18 with the kick to come.
But the touch judge spotted a problem with the grounding and referee Ryan Cox reversed his initial decision. The try no longer stood and Widnes hung onto their four-point lead to claim the points.
Allan Coleman was a happy man, and the Vikings coach said: “We looked strong and held firm under pressure – it was a good display.”
Toulouse struggled to settle but managed to keep their opponents at bay in the first quarter. Widnes, inspired by Dec Patton with solid support around him, finally broke the deadlock on 23 minutes.
The hosts were unable to defend a scrum 15 metres out as a quick break from Patton surprised the French defence and centre Max Roberts burst through unopposed to score just to the right of the posts.
Tom Gilmore added the extras but then Toulouse, visibly shaken by the score, perked up and dominated possession.
Three minutes later, an excellent break from fullback Olly Ashall-Bott ended with his looping pass to winger Paul Ulberg, who dropped the ball with the corner flag in sight.
Olympique deservedly levelled the scores in the 33rd minute as a clever pass left from Ashall-Bott found Reubenn Rennie running strongly from ten metres out to crash over, and Jake Shorrocks kicked well.
A couple of minutes later, a glorious chance was missed by the French as Shorrocks tried to go it alone from 20 metres out only to be caught on the line with better options open to him.
With the French in the ascendancy before the break the Vikings defended well but carelessly conceded a penalty in front of the posts as the hooter was about to sound. Shorrocks kicked the goal to give his side a narrow lead going into the sheds.
Toulouse continued where they left off and looked to have scored in their first attack of the second period as the lively Ashall-Bott broke quickly from his own half and fed hooker Calum Gahan, with prop Maxime Stefani pushing over only to see his four-pointer ruled out with another fumble.
Widnes kept their concentration and felt they had weathered the storm until a grubber kick on the last on 56 minutes from Ulberg ended with Ashall-Bott getting to the ball before a couple of defenders to score. Shorrocks kicked well again from wide left to give some daylight between the sides.
The French side were on top and looked in control, but the Vikings’ fightback began when second-rower Rhodri Lloyd supplied the perfect pass out left where centre Fleming, in loads of space, cantered to the line.
An excellent conversion from Gilmore out wide closed to gap to only two points and, with eleven minutes remaining, sub Lannon crashed under the posts as a tired-looking defence failed to pick up Patton’s sharp inside pass. Gilmore made the easy kick before the late controversy in the dying minutes.
Olympique coach Sylvain Houles was disappointed with the outcome: “We had chances but errors cost us dearly.”
GAMESTAR: Widnes second-rower Danny Langtree looked solid throughout.
GAMEBREAKER: With eleven minutes left, Ryan Lennon broke the Toulouse resolve to win the game.
MATCHFACTS
OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
2 Paul Ulberg
3 Reubenn Rennie
5 Paul Marcon
19 Benjamin Laguerre
13 Anthony Marion
7 Jake Shorrocks
10 James Roumanos
9 Calum Gahan
17 Rob Butler
4 Mathieu Jussaume
11 Maxime Stefani
15 Joe Cator
Subs (all used)
14 Baptiste Rodriguez
17 Joe Bretherton
20 Greg Richards
12 Dominique Peyroux
Tries: Rennie (33), Ashall-Bott (56)
Goals: Shorrocks 3/3
VIKINGS
6 Joe Lyons
30 Alfie Johnson
17 Max Roberts
3 Matt Fleming
5 Mike Butt
19 Dec Patton
7 Tom Gilmore
15 Liam Bent
14 Matt Fozard
8 Dan Murray
11 Rhodri Lloyd
12 Danny Langtree
10 Martyn Reilly
Subs (all used)
18 Nick Gregson
16 Liam Kirk
21 Gavin Bennion
13 Ryan Lannon
Tries: Roberts (23), Fleming (64), Lannon (69)
Goals: Gilmore 3/3
SCORING SEQUENCE: 0-6, 6-6, 8-6; 14-6, 14-12, 14-18
Rugby League and League Express Men of the Match
Olympique: Olly Ashall-Bott; Vikings: Danny Langtree
Penalty count: 5-5
Half-time: 8-6
Referee: Ryan Cox
Attendance: 2,133