Nothing Toulouse against Leeds 13 years on from semi-final meeting

Toulouse will play Leeds for the first time since their famous Challenge Cup semi-final appearance back in 2005 in The Qualifiers this weekend.

Under Justin Morgan, Toulouse knocked out Super League side Widnes to reach the last four, which was then the furthest a French team had ever gone in the competition.

Trailing 22-18 at half time, they eventually went down 56-18 to the Rhinos at the John Smith’s Stadium.

It’s not a knockout meeting at Headingley on Saturday, but it could have big implications on the future of the French club if they were to pull off a shock victory.

Buoyed no doubt by London Broncos win at Widnes to kick off The Qualifiers on Thursday night, Toulouse visit the troubled Super League champions with nothing to lose.

Former Wigan prop Eddy Pettybourne and Stanislas Robin return from injury, along with Charles Bouzinac.

Having agonisingly missed out on a top four spot last season, it is Toulouse’s first experience of The Qualifiers, while Leeds return to a competition they played in back in 2016.

Leeds have struggled in recent months and were humbled by Warrington in last weekend’s Challenge Cup semi-final, virtually 13 years to the day they beat Toulouse in the same competition.

The triple injury blow Leeds suffered in that game has impacted their selection for this one. Matt Parcell is out with a rib injury, while Ash Handley is out with a shoulder injury.

Full back Jack Walker is included in the 19-man squad, though is a doubt due to a hamstring injury.

There are returns to the squad for Stevie Ward (concussion) and Dom Crosby (cup tied).

Leeds 19-man squad: Golding, Briscoe, Sutcliffe, Hall, Moon, Myler, Cuthbertson, Singleton, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Ward, Dwyer, Mullally, Keinhorst, Ferres, Peteru, Walker, Oledzki, Crosby.

Toulouse 19-man squad: Ader, Barthau, Bouzinac, Boyer, Bretherton, Canet, Centrone, Ford, Hepi, Kheirallah, Marcon, Marion, Maurel, Mika, Pettybourne, Puech, Rapira, Robin, Seguier.