Bold opening: Toulouse shows they belong in the title race by pulling off back-to-back wins to start the season.
Toulouse edged Castleford 24-12 in a gripping Super League clash at Stade Ernest-Wallon, with Reuben Rennie delivering a decisive two-try performance as the French side secured consecutive victories from the opening rounds.
The Tigers led 12-10 at halftime, but Toulouse overturned the deficit by the final whistle, scoring four tries to two to hand Castleford a second straight setback.
Mathieu Jussaume ignited the hosts’ pace early, scoring inside three minutes after Rennie’s smart line-break created the opening.
Castleford struck back quickly: Cesar Rouge’s missed conversion would prove costly, and Krystian Mapapalangi contested a high kick from Tom Weaver to level the score at 6-4 before the interval.
Back-and-forth action continued as Jason Qareqare dived in the corner to restore parity, though Weaver’s kick rebounded off the post, keeping the game tight at 12-10 in the visitors’ favor just before the break.
Toulouse’s pressure paid off nine minutes into the second half when a captain’s challenge gave them another set from the base of the scrum; Benjamin Laguerre collected the ball and touched down in the corner, leaving Rouge with a challenging sideline conversion he nailed with clinical precision.
The momentum swung further in Toulouse’s favor after 62 minutes when Ashall-Bott’s counter-attack set Rennie up for a powerful finish, making it 22-12. A late yellow card for Chris Atkin and a Rouge penalty sealed the 24-12 result for the home side.
Post-match, Toulouse head coach Sylvain Houles said, “We’re really pleased to be two from two. The Super League is a long journey, so we’ll need to recover after tonight’s physical battle and focus on traveling well to Bradford.”
In other action, Wigan powered to a dominant home win over Hull FC, 34-6, at The Brick Community Stadium. Sam Walters opened the scoring early for Wigan, followed by more tries as the hosts built a commanding 24-0 halftime lead. Hull fought back with Harvie Hill’s try, but Wigan’s pace and precision, led by Jai Field and Bevan French, kept them firmly in control.
Key upcoming dates and fixtures to watch in 2026 include the Paris clash between Catalans Dragons and Wigan Warriors on June 6, the Magic Weekend in July, and the Grand Final scheduled for October 3 at Old Trafford. Sky Sports will again broadcast every Super League game live, with a mix of exclusive matches and streams via Sky Sports+.
Questions to ponder: Do Toulouse’s early-season results indicate they’re genuine title contenders, or will the depth of the league expose any early-season overperformance? Is Wigan’s current form sustainable against tougher opponents, or will fatigue factor in as the season progresses? Share your takes in the comments.
