Ex-West Bank man Hulme on French mission

AIRBUS engineer Danny Hulme admits he is living the dream as he helps Toulouse plot a course towards Super League.

The 25-year-old utility back from Widnes is a member of the Olympique team which is so far unbeaten in their debut season in Kingstone Press League One, with 10 wins and a draw from their opening 11 matches.

Hulme was already working in France’s second city when Toulouse got the nod to re-enter the British competition and had been a member of the team that won the French league in 2014-15.

“When they got the go-ahead, it was great news for me,” said Hulme, who will be back on familiar ground on Sunday when Toulouse take on his old club North Wales Crusaders at the Racecourse.

Hulme put his rugby career on hold when he went out to France to work for Airbus UK, initially on a five-week contract, but quickly settled in the city and in February transferred permanently to Airbus Germany, still based in Toulouse where he lives with his Ukrainian girlfriend. “They’re very flexible,” he said. “They give me time to train during the day and every other week I’m back in England seeing some familiar faces.

“It’s not easy reconciling my job with rugby. It takes a lot of energy, but I’m enjoying it – it’s a great challenge.”

Hulme was destined to play rugby league, coming from some of the finest stock in the game.

His father David and uncle Paul were both Great Britain internationals while his mother’s side of the family boast the famous Myler clan.

“I’ve got something to live up to, haven’t I,” he said. “It’s in my blood.”

Hulme joined his first rugby league club, West Bank, at the age of six and went on to graduate through the Widnes academy before breaking through to their National League team.

He never got the chance to play for his home-town team in Super League for he moved to Crusaders in 2012, just before the Vikings were admitted to the top flight, but the ambitious Toulouse club aim to give him that opportunity.

“It’s everyone’s dream to play in Super League,” Hulme said. “That could be a long way off, though. “The Championship is our primary focus. “But it’s certainly an additional incentive to stay here in Toulouse.”