Toulouse finish above Catalans for first time in 25 years after superb Super League season
Toulouse Olympique have finished above Catalans Dragons for the first time in 25 years. The club ended eighth in Super League in 2026, edging their French rivals on points difference, the tie-breaker decided by points scored minus points conceded.
It is a striking return for a club in only its second season in the top flight. Toulouse won the second-tier Championship in 2025 to earn promotion, then secured eighth place in 2026 while receiving only half the central funding shared among Super League clubs, according to The Guardian. They won more matches than Hull FC, Castleford and Huddersfield.
Eighth does not sound glamorous. In context, it is huge. Super League is the top division of rugby league, the 13-a-side code where teams get six tackles to make ground before they must hand over the ball.
Toulouse’s survival had been questioned. A rumour that the club could be ranked 14th under IMG’s grading system, the off-field scores used to help decide league membership, and sent straight back down was quashed. NRL head of strategy Shane Richardson said the aim is to build rugby league’s presence in France, not cut it in half.
That progress came with almost no visibility at home. There was no Super League on French TV during the 2026 season. Rugbyrama live-streamed matches involving the French clubs under a deal covering only those games, which meant French viewers missed the Good Friday derbies, the play-offs, the Grand Final and the World Cup.
On the field, Toulouse leaned French. They used domestic halves Cesar Rouge and Thomas Lacans, the playmakers who steer the attack, through the season. Winger Mathieu Jussaume was voted into the Super League Dream Team, the team of the season, only the second Frenchman to earn the honour after Remi Casty. Youngster Louis Grossemy was included in France’s 40-man World Cup squad, while fullback Olly Ashall-Bott, overlooked by England, qualifies for France in February 2027.
Stability follows. Toulouse have retained 80% of the squad under contract, with only six players released ahead of next season. Head coach Sylvain Houles is set to enter his 20th year at the club next year.
What makes this stand out is the mix of thrift and identity. A promoted club, on half the money, finished mid-table above its older rival while backing local playmakers and keeping its squad together.
