Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:09 am  

Well done Leigh fans, class as usual

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Mon Feb 26, 2018 12:19 pm  

sanjunien wrote:

Well done Leigh fans, class as usual

I was one of many of them who applauded the Toulouse players , and rightly so.

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Mon Feb 26, 2018 12:24 pm  

sanjunien wrote:

Well done Leigh fans, class as usual

Toulouse fully deserved the plaudits. They made so many errors in the first half and looked so dispirited when their twelve men trooped off at half time, I thought they would concede 50.

I don't know what was said in the dressing room, because they were transformed in the second half. Although they went further behind, they started to play with a strong belief, and completely cut out the errors and indiscipline. Their confidence grew rapidly and they threw the ball about in an entertaining style. Leigh's confidence evaporated, and it was only a matter of whether there was enough time to snatch the most unlikely victory. We Leigh fans have been starved of entertaining rugby for over a year now, so it was a joy to watch how a depleted Toulouse team approached their impossible task.

Hence the deserved applause!

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Mon Feb 26, 2018 6:36 pm  

There's a lot of team spirit in the French squad and a lot of players have grown up since the last game against Leigh. Houles singled out young replacement winger Therond for special praise, coming for Maurel at short notice - how do you think he played on his debut ?

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Tue Feb 27, 2018 1:29 am  

sanjunien wrote:

There's a lot of team spirit in the French squad and a lot of players have grown up since the last game against Leigh. Houles singled out young replacement winger Therond for special praise, coming for Maurel at short notice - how do you think he played on his debut ?

I think that was the lad walking on one leg at one point. Thats commitment. Robin for me was outstanding as was Rhys Curran and Hepi had a blinder.

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Tue Feb 27, 2018 5:40 am  

I didn't realise that Leigh had two French players -- Ilias Bergal on the wing and Kevin Larroyer in the second row. Anyway, here is the video highlights of the game: http://www.to13.com/actualites/leigh-v- ... ume-video/ The big question for Toulouse is what to do when Johnathan Ford is fit and ready to play. How can the coach drop either of the current halves, Stanislas Robin or William Barthau? Wili Sylvain Houles put either Robin or Barthau on the bench as substitute hooker? At least it will be a rare luxury for the club to have three very talented halves available.

I didn't realise that Leigh had two French players -- Ilias Bergal on the wing and Kevin Larroyer in the second row. Anyway, here is the video highlights of the game: http://www.to13.com/actualites/leigh-v- ... ume-video/ The big question for Toulouse is what to do when Johnathan Ford is fit and ready to play. How can the coach drop either of the current halves, Stanislas Robin or William Barthau? Wili Sylvain Houles put either Robin or Barthau on the bench as substitute hooker? At least it will be a rare luxury for the club to have three very talented halves available.

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Tue Feb 27, 2018 6:43 am  

atomic wrote:

I think that was the lad walking on one leg at one point. Thats commitment. Robin for me was outstanding as was Rhys Curran and Hepi had a blinder.

Curran has been the players player of the year for the past three seasons, very underrated. Hepi was immense last season and is getting better.
Ford, Planas and Rapira still to come back from injury.

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Tue Feb 27, 2018 7:54 am  

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote: I didn't realise that Leigh had two French players -- Ilias Bergal on the wing and Kevin Larroyer in the second row. Anyway, here is the video highlights of the game: http://www.to13.com/actualites/leigh-v- ... ume-video/ The big question for Toulouse is what to do when Johnathan Ford is fit and ready to play. How can the coach drop either of the current halves, Stanislas Robin or William Barthau? Wili Sylvain Houles put either Robin or Barthau on the bench as substitute hooker? At least it will be a rare luxury for the club to have three very talented halves available. Three?! That's greedy! Any chance you could spare one for us, please? Actually, we have three French players - we also have Jordan Dezaria from Catalans, waiting to get a game. I like the look of this lad - he is big, robust, energetic and appears to have a good offload. Hopefully he will now get a chance, when our new coach comes in.

JEAN CAPDOUZE wrote: I didn't realise that Leigh had two French players -- Ilias Bergal on the wing and Kevin Larroyer in the second row. Anyway, here is the video highlights of the game: http://www.to13.com/actualites/leigh-v- ... ume-video/ The big question for Toulouse is what to do when Johnathan Ford is fit and ready to play. How can the coach drop either of the current halves, Stanislas Robin or William Barthau? Wili Sylvain Houles put either Robin or Barthau on the bench as substitute hooker? At least it will be a rare luxury for the club to have three very talented halves available. Three?! That's greedy! Any chance you could spare one for us, please? Actually, we have three French players - we also have Jordan Dezaria from Catalans, waiting to get a game. I like the look of this lad - he is big, robust, energetic and appears to have a good offload. Hopefully he will now get a chance, when our new coach comes in.

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Tue Feb 27, 2018 9:47 am  

sanjunien wrote:

There's a lot of team spirit in the French squad and a lot of players have grown up since the last game against Leigh. Houles singled out young replacement winger Therond for special praise, coming for Maurel at short notice - how do you think he played on his debut ?

Is he about 5 ft tall, and looks about 16 years old ? Smallest winger I've seen for years.

Re: Toulouse returns to top form : Tue Feb 27, 2018 11:27 am  

Definitely the smllest winger i've seen for a while, he's 5'6" in his socks and weighs in at just over 11 stones. He very quick, reminds me of a young Escaré. He played FB for the French U18s v England U18s last year. He's tiny but very quick and very strong.