Terrific Toulouse have got their season off to a great start with a 46-14 demolition of swindling Swinton. Despite being without two of their stars -- playmaker five eighth Jonathon Ford and fiery prop Sam Rapira who were both injured -- the French team scored nine tries to two. The team was also without the services of newly signed prop, former South Sydney and USA international Eddy Pettybourne.

Toulouse had also shed their star winger Kuni Minga, for chronic disciplinary infractions, before the season began. But it seems that they have found a good wing replacement in Frenchman Paul Marcon.

It appears that Toulouse will be red hot contenders for a top four place in the Championship this season

File under 'News items that don't merit their own thread'.

Only a wicked Wakefield fan would say that, given the threat that Toulouse's possible entry into Super League poses to Wakefield.

Toulouse had slumped in late season form in 2017 with injuries to both halves. But it seems that the cover given by the signing of William Barthau has strengthened the depth of the rising French club.

The form and future of Toulouse is almost as important for the northern hemisphere rugby league competition as that of Toronto.

Hardly a milestone win against a team ( no malice intended) who isn't really a top 6 contender.

If your making a statement after 1 game against a lesser opposition then i guess more fool you.

And why the "swindling Swinton" tag, get a grip man

Great win. Can’t wait to see them in super league

Regards

King James

Spot on, Jeanie is getting carried away as usual.

Unfortunately for you, you will WILL have to wait. With Leigh,Toronto and Fev,who are far much better, will put them in their place.

Regards

Hokey Cokey

Leigh lol. Good one

Regards

King James

If that's your best reply then you have just been defeated.



Regards

Hokey Cokey

Ok mate

Regards

King James

Nice of you to accept the truth.

Regards

Hokey Cokey.

OK, a good win, against a 'less fancied' team. Let's see how well they travel - after all, they are now the team that faces the longest away journeys. (unless they can find a long term training base in Greater Manchester, and arrange to play all their away matches there, in successive weeks - as well as some of their home ones!

)

Toulouse defeat a team that finished 1 point above the relegation spot last year (Bradfords 12 point deduction aside)......film at 11

Let's see what the result is next weekend against Featherstone. A positive result then, and it may well suggest a top 4 finish for Toulouse is likely.

And please stop bleating about missing players. This happens to all teams, all of the time.

In terms of being "red hot contenders" for a top four place, they're probably slight favourites to sneak in the 4th spot behind Leigh, Toronto and Fev.

Sparky, let's hope Fax can put something together and grab a top 4 spot with Leigh,Pack and Fev.

Really pleased for you Jean, it's nice to see your hopes for a more global competition are going to plan.

However, shouldn't the thread title read, Toulouse return to top form?

Unless of course you're referring to Toulouse-Lautrec.

It depends on whether you consider the noun "Toulouse" to be singular or plural. I assumed singular, you are suggesting plural. There is no definitive answer to the question as far as I am aware.

Barthau only scored one try.

Mediocre from Toulouse who didn't impress despite the very flattering score. Houles looked on this as a pre-season warm-up but must have been panicky with the scores close and a Swinton win not out of the question until the last ten minutes when TO13 woke up. It wasn't pretty but a win's a win. They will get tonked next week at Fev if they reproduce that dross. Swinton weren't great but the difference was Barthau. Last year TO13 would have lost this game without Ford but they hung on today thanks to Barthau. Robin was MOM by a mile.
Littler wasn't happy with the Swinton collapse at the end, the heads dropped which is unusual for such a talented team.

The match was quite an even affair up to the last 10 mins at 20-14. Good fight back from Swinton who were down 16-0 at one point. The loss of George Tyson opened the gates for the late flurry of tries.

Not a clear demolition as some put it.

Super League does need a 2nd French club to create a French Super League derby and that 2nd French will probably be Toulouse

Ah,but what if it's at the expense of Shuddersfeild at the end of the season in the middle 8s?

Or, to put it another way, one could argue that the French Elite Comp could need Catalans, to strengthen French RL.

That is not putting it another way. That is simply wrong. Catalans leaving Super League for the French Elite would weaken Catalans but make no positive difference to the French elite.

Only a lowly Leyther could come up with such a reactionary idea. Building French rugby league by having more French teams in Super League is what the game needs to grow. Having a suburb of greater Wigan, namely Leigh, in Super League contributes nothing to the growth of rugby league in the northern hemisphere. In fact it holds it back..