TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE 16 WIGAN WARRIORS 36
PETER BIRD, Stade Ernest Wallon, Saturday

WIGAN march on at the top of table with a fourth win from four against a Toulouse side who never went away.

The Warriors started the more positively and while Toulouse settled to produce a couple of dangerous plays early doors, Matt Peet’s side retaliated with a devastating eight-minute burst which saw three killer tries.

It started with nine minutes on the clock when Adam Keighran produced the perfect outside pass for Zach Eckersley to dive in the right corner.

Keighran pushed the kick, but made amends three minutes later as he slotted home following his own try right of the posts.

Two minutes after that, a smart break from Harry Smith with Liam Farrell in good support ended with smooth crossfield passing and Keighran being on hand to take the Jack Farrimond outside pass to score again.

And just as Toulouse thought they had weathered the storm, Eckersley strolled over on with time to spare as Keighran again provided the killer pass.

While Keighran missed the conversion attempt for a third attempt, the French were on the ropes looking for some respite.

On the half-hour Olly Ashall-Bott thought he had opened their account only to be well tackled on the line by Bevan French, selected at fullback in place of Jai Field.

Toulouse found some kind of rhythm before the break and deservedly opened their account after a sharp break from winger Benjamin Laguerre, who produced the perfect grubber 15 metres out with Ashall-Bott the quickest to react for a four-pointer close to the left post.

Jake Shorrocks, back from injury for his first appearance of the season, was on hand to kick the extras as the hooter sounded, making it 6-18 at half-time.

Toulouse looked more determined in the early stages of the second period but put themselves under pressure when a captain’s challenge was lost two minutes in and close to their own line.

Olympique survived, but the visitors added to their tally on 53 minutes with French somehow finding the strength to push over on the right side despite the attentions of four Toulouse defenders, and Keighran kicked the extras from in front of the posts.

Toulouse still looked lively and reacted well, a blistering burst from Mathieu Jussaume from halfway ending with a well-timed grubber kick through the middle. Ashall-Bott, chasing, was brought down by Farrell in the in-goal area and a review confirmed the infraction and the hosts were awarded the try.

Shorrocks added his second goal, but Wigan didn’t seem too bothered and reacted well with another well-taken four-pointer as hooker Brad O’Neill crashed over on the left side, while Keighran again obliged with the boot.

Toulouse came back well with a perfect outside pass from Roméo Tropis well taken by speedy winger Laguerre, who outpaced the defenders to touch down in the left corner.

But the icing was put on the cake with six minutes remaining for the visitors, with second-rower Sam Walters sprinting over after good play from Farrimond and Keighran adding his fourth goal.

GAMESTAR: Zach Eckersley looked good in both attack and defence.

GAMEBREAKER: The Bevan French try to seal the points, somehow finding the strength to hold off four and push over.

HIGHLIGHT REEL: The blistering break from halfway by Mathieu Jussaume which set up the penalty try.

ALBERT GOLDTHORPE POINTS
3 pts Zach Eckersley (Wigan)
2 pts Adam Keighran (Wigan)
1 pt Harry Smith (Wigan)

MATCHFACTS

OLYMPIQUE
1 Olly Ashall-Bott
5 Benjamin Laguerre
19 Roméo Tropis
3 Reubenn Rennie
25 Luke Polselli (D)
6 Thomas Lacans
7 Jake Shorrocks
8 Lambert Belmas
9 Brendan Hands
17 Rob Butler
12 Mathieu Jussaume
20 AJ Wallace
13 Anthony Marion
Subs (all used)
15 Joe Cator
16 Joe Bretherton
10 James Roumanos
27 Hugo Garrigues
18th man (not used)
11 Maxime Stefani
Also in 21-man squad
2 Paul Ulberg
21 Ellis Gillam
29 César Rougé

Tries: Ashall-Bott (39, 57 pen), Laguerre (67)
Goals: Shorrocks 2/3

WARRIORS
6 Bevan French
2 Zach Eckersley
3 Adam Keighran
12 Liam Farrell
5 Liam Marshall
19 Jack Farrimond
7 Harry Smith
8 Ethan Havard
9 Brad O’Neill
10 Luke Thompson
11 Junior Nsemba
14 Sam Walters
13 Kaide Ellis
Subs (all used)
15 Patrick Mago
17 Oliver Partington
20 Sam Eseh
25 Taylor Kerr (D)
18th man (not used)
26 Nathan Lowe
Also in 21-man squad
22 Tom Forber
23 Kian McDermott
28 Noah Hodkinson

Tries: Eckersley (9, 23), Keighran (12, 17), French (53), O’Neill (62), Walters (73)
Goals: Keighran 4/7

SCORING SEQUENCE: 0–4, 0–10, 0–14, 0–18, 6–18; 6–24, 12–24, 12–30, 16–30, 16-36

Rugby League and League Express Men of the Match
Olympique: Joe Cator; Warriors: Zach Eckersley

Penalty count: 6-5
Half-time: 6-18
Referee: Liam Rush
Attendance: 5,497