OLYMPIQUE’S HANS ON THE SUPER PRIZE SAINTS AND WINNERS
Knowles demands respect for THREE-PEAT champions and is fed up with super Saints being painted as villains
Championship play-off final
GARETH WALKER TOULOUSE OLYMPIQUE ended their 20-year quest for a place in Super League as Harrison Hansen helped them seal victory in the Million Pound Game.
The French side (above, celebrating) had to withstand a stirring secondhalf comeback from parttime Featherstone before the vastly experienced Hansen (right) – who lost in this fixture for Leigh Centurions four years ago – made the game safe in the closing stages.
Toulouse had a Super League licence application rejected in 2003, entered the English league three years later, and after briefly returning to the French competitions, rejoined in 2015.
This year they were forced to play their entire league campaign away from home with quarantine restrictions preventing opposing teams from travelling, at an estimated cost of £425,000 in chartered flights.
But they returned home for the play-offs to triumph in front of a bumper crowd in the French city, and will join Catalan Dragons in the top tier.
Coach Sylvain Houles said: “It’s unbelievable.
“Who would have thought a few weeks ago we’d have a packed ground and be in Super League?
“The beginning of the second half was very tough but the boys dug really deep.
“They have been outstanding all season and I can’t credit them enough.”
Toulouse had looked in total control when they led 16-0 after the opening 25 minutes.
They opened the scoring when Mathieu Jussaume took a Dom Peyroux and beat four Featherstone defenders to touch down.
Former Catalans playmaker Tony Gigot then kicked perfectly for Latrell Schaumkel to finish out wide.
Three penalties and a conversion from full-back Mark Kheirallah gave Toulouse an imposing half-time lead. But Rovers stirred after the restart after Brett Ferres crossed.
Although Jussaume responded after smart work from another ex-Dragon in Éloi Pélissier, John Davies kept Featherstone hopes alive by crashing over.
But Kheirallah eased any Toulouse nerves with another penalty before late tries from Hansen and Johnathon Ford sealed matters.
Rovers coach James Webster said: “I’m ultraproud of my team – they were really courageous.
“Toulouse were outstanding in that first 20 minutes and it sucked so much energy out of us, but we’ve got no excuses.”
MORGAN KNOWLES says that “villains” St Helens deserve to take their place in history after a gripping third title win in a row.
Victory equalled Leeds Rhinos’ record of eight Grand Finals victories and moved Saints clear with nine Super League wins in total, having triumphed in the first summer season of 1996 under the old table-topping format.
It also completed this year’s double after their July Wembley win over Castleford in the Challenge Cup, marking the team down as a dynasty having also lifted the League Leaders’ Shield in 2018 and 2019.
Yet Knowles, a near constant source of work-rate and industry from loose forward over those last four seasons, believes the club’s achievements were overlooked during an Old Trafford buildup that often focused on their opponent’s journey. “Catalans have been brilliant and they’ve only had a short history in Super League,” said Knowles.
“They’ve done amazing, the expansion is really positive for the game and I’m definitely happy about that.
“They’re probably going to be in more Grand Finals, Steve Mac (coach McNamara) has done a great job and they’ve recruited the right kind of players. But I think we deserve more credit.
“We do get portrayed as the villains. We’ve been the best team for the last three or four years, although we didn’t win it in ’18.
“But the consistency we’ve had – the win percentage has been better than any other team in Super League.
“British and UK culture likes to see people fail and the underdog win and it’s about time now we get the credit we deserve for three back-tobacks, the Challenge Cup and League Leaders’ along the way.
“There was definitely motivation for us because we were the villains.
“Unless you were a Saints fan, everyone wanted to see Catalans win and probably rightly so because they were the underdog, it would be great to see another team win it and especially a French team.
“But I’m just really proud to be a part of this group and what we’ve done over these last few years has been special.” The Dragons played their full part in an uncompromising, bruising encounter, and led 10-6 with 15 minutes remaining after Mike McMeeken touched down with Tommy Makinson in the sin-bin.
But Kristian Woolf ’s Saints have steel to go alongside their style and they clinched victory when Kevin Naiqama scored his second try in a Harry
Sunderland Trophy-winning performance. The Fijian centre (greeting league legend Rob Burrow, below) also crossed in the first half in his final game for the club before returning to Australia to retire.
For Saints, thoughts will turn towards a potential World Club Challenge clash with Aussie champions Penrith Panthers, an opportunity that was denied the class of 2020 due to Covid.
The clubs have a close association, with St Helens academy teams touring Down Under every two years. Knowles was part of a 2013 team that beat a Panthers juniors side including current star halfback Nathan Cleary.
Club insiders suggest Saints would be prepared to head to Australia and spend part of their pre-season there, or host at home, and Knowles says the players would relish the test.
He said: “It would be good to get an opportunity to play them because we were robbed of that last year. Nothing can help that but it’s still unfair.”