Elite 1 – Toulouse tied with Lézignan for 50 minutes before collapsing – Rugby League
Lézignan, leader of the championship, received Toulouse, for an unbalanced match on paper.
Lézignan starts strong, Toulouse reacts
The first strings are balanced. It is Lézignan who will be dangerous by attacking from his own half of the field. Benjamin Laguerre makes the effort to come back and stops the player just before he scores. Unfortunately for Toulouse, he is sanctioned for not having released the player and receives a yellow card. Lézignan escapes the ball in stride. It is therefore a saved try but at the cost of a numerical inferiority for 10 minutes.
The sanction is not long in coming and on an action similar to the first from their half of the field, Stacul releases for Valentin Ferret who slaloms in the defense and serves Jordan Flovie who scores. Maloney conversion, 6-0.
A quarter of an hour into the game, the right side of Lézignan once again made the powder speak. Jean-Baptiste Bousquet is offset by Valentin Ferret on his wing and he finds Rémy Marginet inside to conclude. Maloney converted again, 12-0. The Toulouse are again at 13.
Toulouse reacts after an efficiency obtained. A good chain of downs brings them to the front of the line. Maxime Stefani scores mischievously in the half-down position. Transformation of Gaëtan Vick, 12-6.
Same cause, same effect, a penalty gives Toulouse a chain in the opposing camp. After good balls from Stefani and Paul Sangaré, the game off is well done. Gonzalez-Trique serves Lima in the scoring interval. Conversion failed, 12-10.
It’s Lézignan’s turn to take advantage of a Toulouse foul. Maloney extends the pass over the defense and Flovie finishes after an inside hook. No play transformation, 16-10.
The following ammunition is for Toulouse which does not lose the ball under the opposing posts. On the next channel, Anthony Ors pierces the defense, he immediately finds Marginet in support who serves Lacans for a try between the posts less than 5 minutes from the break. Maloney transformation, 22-10.
The last points of the first period will be Toulouse. Benjamin Laguerre scores a try that owes nothing to anyone as the first attacker out of scrum. Vick converted, 22-16.
Toulouse cracks and Lézignan flies away
Toulouse dominates the start of the second half but a badly executed footwork by Joseph Therond lands in the arms of Thomas Lacans who sprints for 90 meters without being caught. Maloney transformation, 28-16.
On the model of the previous test, it is Pallares for Toulouse who recovers a ball fallen from Lézignan in his camp. His 80-yard run is stopped by the defense but Toulouse quickly clears the ball away, Matt Ross takes the interval and releases with two players on his back for PJ Lima who only has to flatten. Unprocessed, 28-20.
The ping pong continues. Marginet taps behind the defense, Valentin Ferret is the quickest to grab the ball against a somewhat wait-and-see defense. James Maloney does not tremble, Lézignan makes the break, 34-20.
The Feuceuleu continues by taking advantage of a ball muddled by Toulouse yet in a good position. Jean-Baptiste Bousquet pushes on the foot, takes advantage of the favorable rebound and scores after a long run. It’s transformed, 40-20.
Fatigue is felt on the Toulouse side and the faults that go with it. Lézignan continues to push. A ball arrives somehow to the wing. Bousquet does the job and scores his second try. Maloney adds the conversion, 46-20.
To complete the Lézignan victory, Bousquet scored his hat-trick. The final score is 50-20.
Lézignan made the difference in the last half hour. Toulouse was much more realistic in attack than usual but the defense did not follow. The logic is respected but the score is heavy.