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“Qui Vivra Verra”! Toulouse Olympique 2019 Season Review

Or “He/she who lives, shall see” as a rough translation Toulouse Olympique achieved another higher finish in the Betfred Championship in their quest for promotion.

Though their desire to be a Betfred Super League club alluded them once again, they should remain confident as they produced another dominant season.

As usual, their attack was devastating and this is thanks to their bolstering forward pack and a skilful set of pivots.

Though a place in Super League may have slipped through their grasp once again, they remain such a difficult side to best and this alone should help them avoid a repeat of fading off the British leagues like they did last time.

No, Toulouse look set to stay as genuine contenders for promotion as we take a look back another successful season for them in 2019.

Best Result: Toulouse Olympique 46-16 Toronto Wolfpack

No doubt about it, not only were they the only team to defeat Toronto Wolfpack in the regular season but doing it comfortably is the icing on the cake!

The Wolfpack looked set for another win, leading 16-6 at half-time thanks to tries from Black Wallace, Bob Beswick and Ricky Leutele in response to Dean Parata’s early score for Toulouse.

But the French had other ideas and stormed out in the second half as a dominant force, running in 40 unanswered points.

Two tries each from Stan Robin and Mark Kheirallah as well as further efforts from Gavin Marguerite and Rhys Curran, with Kheirallah adding nine goals capped off a sensational performance.

It was one that laid down the marker that the French side should not be underestimated, especially as they started somewhat slowly, something they quickly amended.

Worst Result: Sheffield Eagles 44-16 Toulouse Olympique

Another of their results in focus so close to matching their greatest win in their 44-16 away loss at Sheffield Eagles.

Credit to Sheffield, they were on fire, with Anthony Thackeray bagging a hat-trick of tries, with further ones coming from Sonny Esslemont, Ryan Millar and two from Matt James.

Toulouse could only respond through Mathieu Jussaume, William Barthau and Paul Marcon but the damage was already done.

Travelling to South Yorkshire on a Friday is never easy, taking into consideration that Sheffield played some good rugby in 2019 and of course the French club travelling across the channel.

But does this excuse a full-time team losing so heavily to part-timers?!

 

Even developing a devastating attacking combination with Stan Robin, Barthau and Mark Kheirallah has helped his club score so many points once again.

The 30-year-old should return in 2020 with his attacking partners stronger than ever as he approaches the end of his career and will want to go out in some style!

 

Predicted 2nd – Finished 2nd

Not much of a surprise considering their status as one of the few full-time clubs in the league as Toulouse finished runners-up in 2019!

Having come third last year, they were expected to go strong again, especially given the fact they had retained the majority of what was already an impressive squad before slotting in some key additions that helped them improve.

Their problems of course were down to consistency, able to topple the best of the best with ease only to fall down quite comfortably in others times.

This was evident for us all to see in the play-offs and should be their main area of focus heading into next season!

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