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| Lack of composure costs Toulouse |
Spilt blood for the cause |
Toulouse came up short by one point in a rough, tough game at Keighley for whom Danny Jones potted the decisive drop-goal. Toulouse weren't great and would perhaps have been fortunate to get anything out of the game, but they could have secured a draw had Sébastien Planas been awake at a late play-the-ball with everyone set for a shot at goal.
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It didn't start well for the visitors. In just the second minute, a big bomb wasn't dealt with by Carlos Mendes Varela and Tom Burton swooped on the loose ball to cross out wide for the opening score, improved by Jones. Mendes would have been better advised to allow James Hutchinson to catch the ball and then deal with that rather than go up for the ball. That was the percentage play.
Things didn't improve a few moments later when Rory Bromley suffered a knee injury in a tackle. He tried playing on, but it was clear his day - if not his season - was done. However, Toulouse pressed and converted pressure into points on the fourth consecutive set on the Keighley line. Nathan Wynn took it to the line before dabbing through for Tony Gigot, on his TO debut, to touch down behind the posts. Nathan's goal squared it up, but Keighley were soon back in front as some patient build-up and quick hands engineered the overlap where Burton got his second of the night.
They went further ahead as Jones booted a 40/20 and Brendon Rawlins trundled through some weak defence to score off the back of the resultant possession. Jones added the extras for a 16-6 lead after half an hour. Back came Toulouse and Gigot turned provider after being sent away through the left centre channel by Sylvain Houlès, finding Sébastien Payan on his shoulder to take the scoring pass. Nathan converted from the sideline, but the Keighley lead would be six at the break as Eric Anselme gave away a soft penalty well within Jones's range.
Five minutes into the second period and it was all square as Nathan broke three tackles on his way to the line from fully sixty metres out. He was pulled down short, but the defence fell away, so the TO half-back was well within his rights to get up and plunge over the line for the try which he duly converted. And it was Nathan's enormous bomb that put the visitors in front for the first time on the night. Hutchinson spilled it and Mendes pounced for the try. Nathan added the goal and, a few moments later, a penalty as Keighley were caught messing at the play-the-ball. It seemed an odd option. At this stage, Keighley were down to twelve, Jones having been sin-binned, and hanging on defending their own line. It's our editor's philosophy that in these situations you do what your opposition would least like. Keighley were desperate for a breather and Toulouse duly gave them it.
Re-energised by the break in play handed them by their opponents, Keighley worked it upfield and Hutchinson crossed out wide on the end of a superb handling move. Jones, back from the bin, was wide with the effort at goal leaving it a four-point game. With seven minutes to go, it was all square once again, Jones floating a ball wide for Gav Duffy to cross in the corner, profiting from Toulouse indiscipline. Jones's attempt at goal came back off the upright, leaving it at 26 points apiece.
In the post-match interviews, Cougars coach Barry Eaton admitted he'd had his players practising drop-goals having been on the wrong end of some close scorelines this season and Jones had all the time in the world to slot one over from thirty metres to push Keighley back in front. The game wasn't done though and Toulouse worked it downfield. On the fourth tackle and with thirty seconds remaining, Nathan dropped back into the pocket and everyone was set for an equalising shot at goal. Everyone, that is, except Sébastien Planas who swooped in at dummy half and, oblivious to what was going on around him, chipped to the in-goal where no-one was chasing and it dribbled harmlessly over the dead-ball line as Nathan blew his top in back play. Keighley couldn't believe their luck and played out the remaining seconds with relative calm for their first home win of a troubled season, severely denting Toulouse's hopes of the play-offs.
This was not vintage Toulouse, but they should still have got a draw out of it and would have with a bit more professionalism, awareness and composure from one of their senior pros. That finale dented a good defensive performance from Planas, but the crassness of his error scuppered any chance of him picking up some player of the season points. Instead, Kevin Larroyer is promoted to third place in the rankings, picking up one point. He's a much-improved player this season and has found a niche in the back row where his all-action tackling style is winning him fans. Brendan Worth never lets anyone down and he played through the pain of a horrible looking cut above the left eye and picks up another couple of points for bravery. Runaway nominee for the sang-et-or.net man of the match award though was Nathan Wynn. It's all been said before, and Toulouse's loss will very much be Lézignan's gain. He was far and away the best player on the park here.
MATCH FACTS
TOULOUSE 26-27 KEIGHLEY
| | TOULOUSE | T | G | DG | | KEIGHLEY | T | G | DG |
| 1 | Bromley | | | |
20 | Belcher | | | |
| 2 | Payan | 1 | | |
5 | Duffy | 1 | | |
| 3 | Planas | | | |
23 | Baines | | | |
| 4 | Duport | | | |
3 | Burton | 2 | | |
| 5 | Mendes Varela | 1 | | |
31 | Hutchinson | 1 | | |
| 16 | Houlès | | | |
6 | Presley | | | |
| 7 | N Wynn | 1 | 5 | |
7 | Jones | | 3 | 1 |
| 8 | Worth | | | |
8 | Shickell | | | |
| 17 | Gay | | | |
9 | Feather | | | |
| 19 | Mencarini | | | |
17 | Benjafield | | | |
| 14 | Maria | | | |
11 | Cartledge | | | |
| 23 | Larroyer | | | |
12 | Pursglove | | | |
| 13 | Anselme | | | |
15 | Nicholson | | | |
| 25 | Pelo | | | |
14 | Wray | | | |
| 15 | Gout | | | |
13 | Hughes | | | |
| 32 | Hérold | | | |
10 | Law | | | |
| 31 | Gigot | 1 | | |
16 | Rawlins | 1 | | |
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