T'Other Side: Toulouse Olympique

T’Other Side: Toulouse Olympique

2019 Matches

FIRST TEAM SQUAD

LAST TIME OUT

Head Coach: Sylvain Houles

Sylvain Houles began his tenure as head coach of Toulouse Olympique for the 2011 season. That was the final year of their previous three year participation in the ‘English’ Championship league.

Most of his playing career was as a centre or winger although towards the end he moved to half back or loose forward. He started with XIII Catalans (the former name of Catalans Dragons) and then in 2000 entered Super League with the Huddersfield and Sheffield Giants and later London Broncos. Houles also played for Dewsbury Rams and Wakefield Trinity Wildcats before returning to France with Toulouse. He played 14 times for France.

Captain: Constantine Mika

Constantine Mika, second row or centre, is a tough uncompromising ball carrier and tackler. He has been at Toulouse since 2016. Previously he played in the NRL for Newcastle Knights from 2009 to 2011 and for Hull Kingston Rovers in 2012 and 2013. In 2014 he returned to Australia playing in second tier competitions. In 2010 he played for Samoa and in 2012 for the Exiles when they beat England 32-20 at Huddersfield.

At the back

Ilias Bergal, wing, played for Saint-Estève (Catalans Dragons reserve side) in the French Élite 1 competition from 2015 to 2017 and joined Swinton on a short contract after the end of the French 2016-2017 season. Last year he was at Leigh but also played on loan with Swinton and Workington. He is a consistent try scorer scoring 34 tries in 32 appearances for Saint-Estève and 13 in 11 appearances for Leigh which twice included hat tricks against Sheffield Eagles. This year he joined Toulouse and has continued his astonishing try scoring feats managing 14 touch-downs in just 8 matches. Bergal has played three times for France.

Matthieu Jussaume, centre, is only 20 years old and made his professional début this year and has rapidly established a regular position in the team.

Mark Kheirallah, is a fullback and a points machine. In 2016 he scored a phenomenal total of 470 for Toulouse following that up with 320 in 2017 and 386 last year. So far this season he has scored another 240 (13 tries and 94 goals. He was a stand-out performer for Lebanon in the 2017 World Cup.

Junior (Taioalo) Vaivai, centre, was signed from Hull KR in June after he had had a short loan spell with York and is already making his mark for Toulouse. He has played in the NRL for South Sydney Rabbitohs and Penrith Panthers. In 2016 and 2017 he played for the United States including 3 appearances in the 2017 World Cup.

In the halves

Johnathon Ford, stand-off, joined Toulouse in 2011 from Sydney Roosters. He is a master tactician and has a brilliant kicking game. He has been a regular international for the Cook Islands and has captained them. He usually plays alongside Stan Robin (see Captain).

Stan Robin, scrum-half, began in 2008 with Villeneuve Leopards and then in 2013 he joined Catalans Dragons and he moved to Toulouse in 2017. During 2016 he had a loan spell with Sheffield Eagles. He has played five times for the French international side.

At hooker

William Barthau, hooker, halfback, fullback or wing, provides cover in the halves when required but is a useful utility player and can kick goals when required. Most recently he has been coming off the bench to play hooker. His professional career began with Catalans Dragons in 2010 and he remained there up to 2014 although he did play for Toulouse on loan in 2010 and Dewsbury on loan in 2011. From 2015 to 2017 he played for London Broncos, joining Toulouse last year. He is a French international.

Anthony Marion has spent his whole career at Toulouse after making his début in 2014. Although primarily a hooker he can also fill in at loose forward or at halfback. Last year he played for the French international team for the first time.

Dean Parata was signed from Barrow Raiders for whom he was playing last year. He is an Australian of Italian descent and is an Italian international. He has signed to play for Fev next year.

In the pack

James Bell, loose forward, centre or second row was signed this year from New Zealand Warriors. He is a Scottish international. Last year he was named as Scotland’s Player of the Year.

Clément Boyer, prop or loose forward, made his Toulouse début in 2012. In July 2015 he briefly joined Halifax making just 2 substitute appearances. He also played for Racing Club Albi in the French Elite 1 competition in 2015. He returned to Toulouse in 2016 establishing as a regular in the first team. He is a French international and back in 2013 played in the France U18 team.

Joe Bretherton, prop or second row, signed from Wigan this year but is not a new player to Toulouse, having played 9 games for them on loan last year. He was at Wigan from 2016 to 2018 during which time he also went out on loan to Swinton and Workington as well as Toulouse.

Paterika Vaivai, prop, is a Samoan, and was signed this season from Leigh Centurions. Before joining Leigh last year he had played for both Newcastle Knights and Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.

Dual Registration and loan signings

Toulouse do not have any players on loan. They have a dual registration agreement with Catalans Dragons but it is rarely used compared to many English clubs. The only Catalans players to have played for Toulouse on dual reg so far this year are winger Jodie Broughton who played just one game and centre Arthur Romano who has played three times.

The Fev connection

Unsurprisingly there is no-one in the current squads who has played for both Fev and Toulouse. The only connection we can find is that prop forward Tyla Hepi is the son of Brad Hepi who played seven times for Fev on loan in 2000. Tyla has signed for Castleford for 2019.