Toulouse beat Halifax for their first win of the Qualifiers. Here’s our verdict…
MATCH DETAILS
It took 13 minutes for Toulouse to get the first points of the game, as they kicked wide on the last play and Chris Centrone scored the try, with Mark Kheirallah getting the first of his first conversions.
Halifax held out well until two quick tries in the final minutes of the half, with Centrone getting his second by breaking from 40m out and running in.
They were then beaten again as Kheirallah put a kick in and Paul Marcon scored, with the full-back adding the extras to make it 16-0 going into the break.
Fax pushed strongly at the start of the second-half but couldn’t find a way through, and Toulouse got the next score on the hour as half-back Stan Robin scored a great solo effort.
Anthony Marion then added another, before the visitors earned a late consolation through Dan Fleming.
WHAT WE’VE LEARNED
Toulouse formidable at home
Toulouse proved themselves to be a tough proposition in France with a professional performance, showing some of the skill that earned them plaudits against Leeds and combining it with a strong 80-minute performance in defence.
The aim for them will be a spot in the Million Pound Game, and although the competition will be tough they have every chance if they can keep things up on home turf and pick up a win on their travels.
Fax struggle again in attack
Halifax took 154 minutes to score a point in this season’s Qualifiers, and in the two games so far the attack has simply come up short as they struggle for creativity against well-drilled defences.
They’ve certainly had their chances and there were good spells in this game, but if they can’t put scores on the board then they will come away from this campaign pointless in the table as they did last year.
THE RESULT
Toulouse Olympique 28
Tries: Centrone (2), Marcon, Robin, Marion
Goals: Kheriallah (4)
Drop Goals: n/a
Halifax 6
Tries: Fleming
Goals: Tyrer
Drop Goals: n/a
SQUADS
Toulouse: Kheirallah; Centrone, Ader, Romano, Marcon; Ford, Robin; Puech, Marion, Bretherton; Planas, Canet, Rapira.
Interchanges: Barthau, Boyer, Hepi, Seguier.
Halifax: Moss; Saltonstall, Tyrer, Woodburn-Hall, Sharp; Murrell, Johnston; Baldwinson, Kaye, Fleming; Heaton, Grady, Grix.
Interchanges: Douglas, Moore, Cooper, Fairbank.
Referee: Scott Mikalauskas
