Huddersfield Giants Climb Off the Bottom With Fourth Straight Win in Toulouse
Huddersfield Giants moved off the foot of the Betfred Super League table with a 26-10 win over Toulouse Olympique at the Stade Ernest Wallon — their fourth consecutive victory under head coach Jim Lenihan (BBC Sport).
Not long ago, Huddersfield were propping up the entire competition. A 42-20 demolition of Catalans Dragons on 10 August, played in front of a season-high home crowd of 8,934 at the Accu Stadium, had already signalled a turn in form. This win in the south of France, played in stifling heat that the club's own match report described as "very professional" conditions to navigate, confirmed it (giantsrl.com).
Wing Halsall set the tone early, running in unopposed in the left corner for the opening try. Toulouse hit back through hooker Brendan Hands, who burrowed over to level the scores. But Halsall doubled his tally with an acrobatic finish in the corner — touching down before the ball or his body could be forced into touch — and from there Huddersfield took charge.
Joe Greenwood barged over from close range after a sharp short ball from Harry Rushton, and Connor Wrench added a fourth before half-time to give the Giants a commanding lead at the break. George Flanagan kept the scoreboard ticking with a penalty goal.
The second half was far less straightforward. Toulouse lost half-back Jake Shorrocks to injury when he limped off, disrupting their attacking shape. But Huddersfield's discipline then wavered badly. Tristan Powell was sin-binned in the 48th minute — sent to the sidelines for ten minutes, as the sin bin (rugby league's temporary dismissal) dictates — and Taane Milne followed him in the 64th for a professional foul, a deliberate infringement to stop an opposition attack.
For a stretch, Huddersfield played half of the second period with 12 men. That they conceded only a late consolation try to Toulouse's top scorer Mathieu Jussaume spoke to a defensive resilience that earlier in the season had too often been absent. Flanagan slotted a second penalty with 30 seconds left on the clock to seal the 26-10 final score, refereed by Ryan Cox (BBC Sport).
The result carries an extra edge given the recent history between these sides. Toulouse had beaten Huddersfield in their first meeting of the 2026 campaign, extending a run in which the Giants had lost each of their previous three encounters with the French side (Super League). Reversing that trend away from home marks Huddersfield's most complete turnaround of the season.
Toulouse, who joined the Super League for 2026 alongside York Knights in a decision ratified by an independent panel last October, have now lost ground in what is proving a fiercely competitive campaign — one that has drawn over 1.5 million fans through turnstiles across the season (Super League).
For Huddersfield, four wins on the bounce and a clear path off the bottom will do nicely. The challenge now is keeping that momentum rolling — with 12-man grit rather than yellow-card drama.
