Match Report | Eagles start league season with win over Toulouse

16/03/2024

Sheffield Eagles started the 2024 Betfred Championship season in style last night with a 24-22 victory over Toulouse Olympique.

The Eagles were looking to extend their unbeaten start to the season having earned seven successive victories in both the Betfred Challenge Cup and AB Sundecks 1895 Cup heading into the league opener.

Mark Aston was forced into 2 changes coming into the game as Matty Marsh and Ben Jones-Bishop dropped out of the squad due to injuries, with Jack Hansen and Ryan Miller coming into the side to replace them in the Eagles’ back-line.

The tries came thick and fast in last night’s game, and it was the visitors who had the first say. Dominique Peyroux broke through the middle of the Eagles defence, before playing the ball wide to the left to Guy Armitage, who crashed over to score inside the opening minute. Jake Shorrocks was on hand to give the French side an early six-point lead with the boot from out wide.

The Eagles hit back less than 5 minutes later as James Glover found a gap in the Toulouse line from deep and broke forward, the ball exchanged many hands in the Eagles’ attack, before coming to Anthony Thackeray who dived over from close-range to level the game. 

Cory Aston added the extras from the kicking tee, the first of four successful kicks for the evening. 

The game played out level as both teams had chances on the last tackle just short of the try-line, but it was the French side who edged back in front with two tries in quick succession. The ball was played quickly down the left-hand channel where Paul Ulberg collected a quick offload to place the ball down in the corner, before Mathieu Jussaume collected a loose ball inside the Eagles 10m and waltzed his way under the sticks to score.

Shorrocks was on hand to only add one conversion from two, putting the French side 6-16 ahead.

The Eagles had the last say of the half though as they went back-to-back as they ensured they headed into the sheds ahead at the break.

The first came from another deep break from Glover, he placed a kick through the middle of the pitch and Aston was there to race away to score under the sticks, before Thackeray spotted a gap in the Toulouse defence to score after connecting with Kyle Wood’s pass from dummy half.

After twenty minutes played in the second period, it was Wood who was the man to get the first points of the second half.  Evan Hodgson collected the ball following a Marcon mistake in deep field position, before playing in the experienced hooker who strolled his way over to score from close-range. After a successful conversion attempt from Aston, the lead became an eight-point game.

Toulouse did score a late consolation try through Maxime Stefani late on, which was converted by Shorrocks, but the Eagles held on for a narrow 24-22 win to kick-start our Betfred Championship campaign.

Attention now turns to the Betfred Challenge Cup Sixth Round tie next Friday evening where we take on the Club World Champions, Wigan Warriors. Details for the game can be found across the Eagles social media channels.

Sheffield Eagles: Hansen, Miller, Welham, Glover, Dawson-Jones, Aston, Thackeray, Battye, Halafihi, Dickinson, Foster, Liu, Gwaze

Interchanges: Roberts, Murphy, Hodgson, Wood

18th Man: Bower

Tries: Thackeray (6’, 39’), Aston (35’), Wood (61’)

Conversions: Aston (4/4)

Toulouse Olympique: Brochon, Marcon, Jussaume, Armitage, Ulberg, Rivett, Shorrocks, Belmas, Gahan, Hansen, Stefani, Peyroux, Marion

Interchanges: Roumanos, Akauola, Bretherton, Richards

18th Man: Biscarro

Tries: Armitage (1’), Ulberg (20’), Jussaume (24’), Stefani (74’)

Conversions: Shorrocks (3/4)

Referee: M.Smaill

Attendance: 794