Toulouse Olympique 56 - 16 Rochdale Hornets

Rochdale Hornets

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As the thermometers went over 30 degrees, an injury hit Hornets side, shored up by youngsters on dual registration and two debutants, tasted defeat against Toulouse in the blistering French heat.

Hornets kicked the game off with a short, teasing start that was just out of reach for the on rushing Lewis Galbraith.

From the possession Toulouse found their way into the middle before the Toulouse man passed the ball into Gavin Bennion who was stood in an offside position. Despite this being outlawed earlier in the season, referee Gareth Hewer awarded a Toulouse penalty.

From the penalty, Constantine Mika blasted through the Hornets defence to touch down. Mark Kheirallah knocked over his first of eight conversions.

Rhys Curran fed Bastien Ader through a gap in the Hornets line to gallop away for his first score of the day.

Despite the early score it looked as though it wasn’t going to be as easy as first thought for the Frenchmen with Hornets probing the Olympique line, but for some slack last play efforts Hornets could, and possibly should, have clawed their way level.

Debutant half back Tyler Whittaker slotted a teasing chip over but it was too high for Greenwood to gather on the right flank.

Moments later Jordan Case was overexcited with the boot, stabbing a grubber kick dead on the last.

Hornets' persistence paid off as a sweeping move saw the ball go through hands to the left edge. Lewis Galbraith teased his opposite number and bust the line to feed Rob Massam who touched down in the corner for his 15th try of the season. The kick was too difficult for Whittaker.

Stanislas Robin scooped the ball up on the last tackle and bamboozled six Hornets defenders with his electrifying footwork to score. Kheirallah again good for the two.

With Ben Moores and Gavin Bennion off the field, Toulouse ran riot with a nine-minute patch yielding five tries before the break. Ader crossed twice for his hat trick and Kheirallah touched down twice to put Olympique out of reach at the break.

Hornets coach Alan Kilshaw opted to keep the players out of the dressing rooms at half time with the mercury touching 32 degrees before an inspirational rallying cry from Greenwood readied the Hornets team for the second half.

It couldn’t have started worse for Hornets with Clement Boyer pushing his way over to the left of the posts before Anthony Marion crossed. Kheirallah converting both tries.

With Toulouse looking to be in full control the pendulum swung and Hornets had their best spell of the game as the alert Declan Kay, who was filling in at full back, eyed up Curran’s slack pass to intercept and race 50 metres to dot down under the posts. Whittaker goaling.

Moments later, Miles Greenwood waltzed through the Toulouse defence to muscle over for a try. Whittaker goaling again.

Toulouse responded with tries from Paul Marcon and Curran. Kheirallah converting the latter.

Despite the heavy defeat, Alan Kilshaw was proud of his players, he said: “We were beaten by a very good side, but I am proud of the lads.”

Toulouse Olympique: Mark Kheirallah, Kuni Minga, Bastien Ader, Sebastien Planas, Paul Marcon, Anthony Marion, Stanislas Robin, Clement Boyer, Mourad Kriouache, Bastien Canet, Constantine Mika, Rhys Curran, Andrew Bentley, Maxime Puech, Kalausa Leha, Levi Nzoungou, Charles Bouzinac

Rochdale Hornets: Declan Kay, Miles Greenwood, Jake Eccleston, Lewis Galbraith, Rob Massam, Tyler Whittaker, Danny Yates, Matty Hadden, Ben Moores, Gavin Bennion, Josh Crowley, Jordan Case, Lewis Hatton, Lewis Foster, Danny Rasool, Luke Fowden, Jack Holmes

Referee: Gareth Hewer

Attendance: 1,467