French too hot
AS the thermometers ticked over 30, an injury-hit Hornets side – shored up by youngsters on dual registration and two debutants – performed admirably despite falling short 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 the Toulouse penalty.
From the penalty it was Constantine Mika who blasted through the Hornets defence to touch down.
Mark Kheirallah knocked over his first of eight conversions.
Nine minutes later he would have the ball on the tee again as the stand out, 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.
First it was debutant half back Tyler Whittaker who slotted a teasing chip over but it was too high for Greenwood to gather on the right flank.
Moments later it would be Jordan Case who was overexcited with the boot, stabbing a grubber kick dead on the last.
The visitor’s persistence paid off however, 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 much for Whittaker off the whitewash.
On the half hour mark it was Stanislas Robin who 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 Bennion off the field the home side 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.
Alan Kilshaw opted to keep his men out of the dressing rooms at half time with the mercury touching 32 degrees before an inspirational rallying cry from Greenwood readied the boys for the second period but it couldn’t have started worse with Clement Boyer pushing his way over to the left of the sticks before Anthony Marion crossed with Kheirallah converting both tries to make it 46-4.
Strangely with Toulouse looking to be in full control the pendulum swung and Hornets had their best spell of the game as
‘We were beaten by a very good side, but I am proud of the lads’
the alert Declan Kay who was filling in at fullback eyed up Curran’s slack pass to intercept and race 50 metres to dot down under the sticks.
Moments later, Miles Greenwood waltzed his