Page 42 - Rugby League World (February 2020)

TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE

RLW PREDICTS: 2nd

At times last year Toulouse looked the provides valuable cover.
only team capable of stopping Toronto And there has been another influx of
Wolfpack’s march into Super League. impressive signings to supplement them
Never more so than their March demolition and the impressive homegrown element of
of the Canadian club, which saw Sylvain Houles’ squad for 2020.
Houles’ side score 30 unanswered points in None are higher profile than former NRL
the second half of their Easter clash. and Super League back rower Frank
But when it game to ‘le crunch’, Toulouse Winterstein, who will be joined in the pack
stumbled badly at home to Featherstone in by the vastly experienced Harrison Hansen.
the playoffs, missing out on their coveted Their arrivals will help compensate for the
shot at the top flight in Toronto. undoubted loss of Rhys Curran to rivals
The fact that they also lost narrow home London after several excellent seasons in
games to Swinton and a patched-up France.
Bradford, and shipped over 40 points Tyla Hepi is another notable exit after
at Sheffield, hinted at a lack of focus in taking up a Super League chance with
certain matches, although a second-placed Castleford, but new recruit Jy Hitchcox
finish must be marked down as a success. will provide further firepower out wide for
This year they will be fully expected to the likes of Ford and Robin to exploit, and
mount a genuine promotion push, and they Welsh international Lloyd White is a shrewd
certainly have the talent in their squad to addition at hooker.
achieve it. Houles’ Toulouse teams have always been
Their much-vaunted attack will again be as easy on the eye as arguably any team
led by long-serving key duo Johnathon Ford in all three divisions, and his innovative
and Mark Kheirallah, the latter racking up training techniques and calm manner are
another 18 tries in 2019. popular with his players.
Fellow playmaker Stan Robin has added Now they must combine that with an
another dimension to that system and increased steel when it matters most if
touched down 20 times, while another they are to fulfil their long-held ambition of
French international William Barthau joining Catalans Dragons at the top table.

STAR PLAYER COACH
2020 SQUAD:

1 Mark Kheirallah
2 Jy Hitchcox
3 Junior Vaivai
4 Mathieu Jussaume
5 Paul Marcon
6 Johnathon Ford
7 Stan Robin
8 Maxime Puech
9 Anthony Marion
10 Joe Bretherton
11 Con Mika
Mark Kheirallah has long been marked Sylvain Houles’ style of play is arguably
12 Frank Winterstein
down as the best player outside Super more distinctive than any coach in the
13 James Bell
League and he continues to be hugely British game, something that became
14 Lloyd White influential for Toulouse. evident during Toulouse’s enterprising
15 Ben Evans His combinations with long-term 2018 Qualifiers campaign.
16 Harrison Hansen partner in crime Johnathon Ford are His teams can attack from anywhere on
17 Paterika Vaivai central to the side’s exciting attack and the field and have a willingness to keep
18 Clement Boyer have yielded countless tries in recent the ball alive, leading to thrilling patterns
seasons. of play.
19 Bastien Ader
Kheirallah can also turn attack into Their defence also improved in 2019,
20 Ilias Bergal
defence in the blink of an eye from the with only Toronto conceding fewer points
21 Tony Maurel back, making him a threat from anywhere in the league campaign.
22 Pierre-Jean Lima on the field. Now Houles will be keen to ensure they
23 Justin Sangare Opposition defences will again need to produce their best form when it matters
30 William Barthau be wary of his prowess throughout the most - if they do then Super League
2020 campaign. could beckon.

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