Toulouse and Ader smashed Barrow
Barrow Raiders ended another trip to Toulouse on the wrong end of a French masterclass as more injuries made their task even more daunting.
The Raiders were outplayed and outclassed as Toulouse continued their impressive run following the demolition of league favourites Toronto a week earlier. The game ended with the visitors reduced to twelve men as the home side made hay in the early spring sun. That’s now 90 unanswered points scored by the flamboyant French in their last 120 minutes of playing time.
As Raiders coach Paul Crarey bemoaned his team’s difficult trip over he had no complaints with the result or the way his side capitulated against a classy French outfit looking odds on to finish in the top five despite a couple of early defeats. This wasn’t pretty for the Raiders or their loyal fans as Toulouse showed their class yet again and the full-time fitness of the French was glaringly obvious.
Just about perfect playing conditions allowed the French to play their fast running game and the Raiders did ok in the opening encounters giving as good as they got but a touch of quality opened the scoring as Brenden Santi broke from halfway with academy hopeful Mathieu Jussaume in for the rested Rhys Curran, in support and the nifty Gavin Marguerite spotting the gap through the middle to score under the posts as the Raiders sleepily allowed him too much freedom.Mark Kheirallah made the easy kick. From the kick-off Toulouse were at it again as Con Mika broke from halfway with the mercurial Jonno Ford taking over, dummying a few times over a twenty metres burst before throwing it long out left to Bastien Ader 15 metres out to run to the line close to the corner. Kheirallah again obliged.
Barrow settled down after the double shock but lost the slimline Jono Smith to a facial injury on the quarter hour. Crarey shuffled his pack and should have cut the deficit just after as a high ball in to the corner on the last was fumbled by winger Tony Maurel and just needing a touch but Josh Johnson couldn’t make the grounding after Jarrad Stack had knocked down. Toulouse dominated play and wasted chances to add to their score but bad handling let them down. Raiders too created half chances as Wartuvo Puaro looked lively with support from Stack and others but the French didn’t look like conceding. More woes for the visitors on the half-hour as Ryan Johnston limped off which seemed to cut their options.Crarey’s men held on however and moved the ball confidently and almost managed a score left side but the final ball was knocked on a couple of metres from the line.
Toulouse deservedly stretched their lead five minutes before the break after fluid cross field movement right to left started by Stan Robin and ended clinically after a Maurel dink to the in-goal area allowed that man Ader to pounce on the bobbling ball left side. Kheirallah couldn’t convert but the half ended with the hosts on top and the Raiders’ wounded troops off to the sheds to take stock.
Any ideas the Cumbrians had of getting back into the encounter were soon dashed in a busy four minute burst after the interval as Maurel racked up a quickfire brace. The first with a dive in the left corner after more good work from Ford and Ader followed by a blistering 60 metres dash along the left touchline from a William Barthau pass with the Raiders defenders looking sluggish in comparison as the winger streaked to the line. Kheirallah missed both conversions as the visitors regrouped and responded well helped on by a successive penalties conceded by TO13. Excellent movement from the lively Nathan Mossop with good support from Jake Carter and Danny Morrow was eventually snuffed out close to the line by good french resistance. Raider’s attacks were few and far between however as Toulouse dominated.
Jarrad Stack saw yellow on 54 minutes after showing dissent which weakened the Raiders and Anthony Marion scrambled over just after on the last from dummy half and Kheirallah added the extras before he was subbed by Sylvain Houles. Toulouse made changes as Barthau reverted to fullback and kicker. The French looked relaxed and threw the ball around confidently as Barrow suffered another blow as Stack returned and Amean left the field with a head injury following what seemed an innocuous clash. Just after Carter took a nasty knock but carried on. With the Raiders down to twelve again it was no surprise when the hosts added more points with Marion striding through under the post on 69 minutes with Barthau adding the two-pointer.
The final ten minutes as the Raiders ended the game with eleven players as Toulouse hit the half century with late tries from hat-trick man Ader and ex Warrior Joe Bretherton.
Another tough day at the office for Crarey’s boys as they lick their wounds with a tricky trip to Swinton next up.
Toulouse : Mark Kheirallah, Gavin Marguerite, Bastien Ader, Mathieu Jussaume, Tony Maurel, Johnathan Ford, Stan Robin (c), Ben Evans, Dean Parata, Clement Boyer, Con Mika, Joe Bretherton, Brendan Santi.
Subs : Maxime Puech, Anthony Marion, Tyla Hepi, William Barthau.
Tries : Marguerite (12), Ader (14, 35, 75), Maurel (42, 44), Marion (54, 69), Jussaume (58), Bretherton (77).
Goals : Kheirallah (4/7), Barthau (1/3).
Barrow Raiders : Luke Cresswell, Star Amean, Jarrad Stack (c), Jake Spedding, Deon Cross, Ryan Johnston, Lewis Charnock, Josh Johnson, Wartovo Puara, Jordan Walne, Jono Smith, Danny Morrow, Brad Crellin.
Subs : Tom Walker, Jake Carter, Willie Minoga, Nathan Mossop.
MOM : Jonno Ford
Weather : Sunny 19° C
Referee : Cameron Worsley 80/100
Attendance : 1388
Dave Andrews