Wigan Warriors- Talking Rugby: Toulouse have been a great addition to Super League but it’s a shame their time might be up
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They’ve enjoyed an excellent campaign so far, which has mainly been full of positives, but Sunday’s trip to Wakefield was a disappointing 80 minutes for Peet’s side.
They were second best from start to finish, on what was a humid day at Belle Vue.
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Hide AdThings just didn’t stick for them, and they weren’t clinical enough.
Their opponent stopped them from having any kind of fluency in attack, while causing them problems in defence.
The display was better than the one against Leeds Rhinos a couple of weeks ago, but they will need to rediscover some energy for the final four games of the regular season in order to secure second spot.
Of course, Trinity are always a tough team to play against at their place, with the stadium looking different from Wigan’s last visit, with the main stand now rubble.
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Hide AdThat left the press in the tower block behind the sticks at one end of the field, which didn’t provide the greatest view of the season.
Trying to figure out what was going on at the other end was quite the challenge, but we just about got there.
With very little work done to Belle Vue for such a long time, it’s good to see that Wakefield have started work to improve their home.
The main stand rebuild has to be the start of a whole lot of work, as much more work will need to be done beyond that.
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Hide AdSport in general has modernised so much, and rugby league can’t be left behind.
A new facility and better looking ground will only help to grow the sport in that area and beyond.
Meanwhile, as well as making improvements off the pitch, Sunday was a huge positive on it, as they took a big step in securing their safety in Super League.
The victory over the Warriors moves them four points clear of Toulouse, who sit at the bottom of the table.
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Hide Ad.It wasn’t surprising how Wakefield played on Sunday, due to some of their previous performances in the last few weeks.
They pushed St Helens and Catalans Dragons close, as well as beating Castleford Tigers.
While they may have looked out of ideas and short of momentum a month ago, they have well and truly picked themselves up.
Trinity fans will now be cheering for the Warriors, as they could add another nail to Toulouse’s Super League coffin with a win at the DW Stadium.
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Hide AdWhile the French side have produced some good displays this season, it looks like the job might be just too big for them now.
They have got better as the campaign has gone on, but being competitive for a full 80 minutes appears to have been their problem.
The decision should’ve been made at the start of the season to guarantee them safety, or to use this as an opportunity to expand the competition.
They are in a position to become an asset to Super League, and with the World Cup being held in France in the near future, the sport needs to be boosted there as much as possible.
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Hide AdNever say never, they may produce a great escape, but it would almost certainly have to start against the Warriors with games running out for them.
If they were to go down, hopefully they will be able to quickly readapt to the Championship and bounce.
Additionally, it’ll be crucial to keep hold of Sylvain Houles, who has played a huge part in Toulouse’s rise.
He is a great statesman for their club and for French rugby league in general, and it wouldn’t be surprising if he wasn’t on the radar of other Super League clubs when they are searching for new coaches.
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Hide AdWhile there might not be the same level of pressure on Peet’s side, they too will need a good result.
They really missed a good chance to strengthen their spot on second on Sunday, and will not want to make life hard for themselves.
While they are just ahead of Huddersfield Giants and Catalans Dragons at the moment, upcoming games could potentially change that picture.
It’s key to finish as high as possible, as well as being in good form heading into the play-offs.
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Hide AdTheir remaining fixtures include a clash with St Helens at the DW Stadium, as well as a meeting with the Dragons.
Judging off their form for the majority of the games since the Challenge Cup final, it shouldn’t be an issue for Wigan to get back to winning ways.
Apart from a few blips, they’ve been playing some really good stuff, and mentally they won’t let a defeat set them back.
Although some of their losses have been a reminder that they aren’t the finished product, there’s nothing there to suggest they won’t be at Old Trafford on September 24.
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Hide AdA huge boost for them this week will be the return of Liam Farrell and John Bateman.
Their experience is going to be key heading into the most intense part of the season.
As the next few weeks progress, Peet should have more and more of his injured players returning to contention.
It’ll be good for Wigan to have that added competition in the squad, and if they can get everyone fit and firing at the right time then they could very well be one of the favourites for the Grand Final.