Leigh Leopards vs Toulouse Prediction: Ashall-Bott to help Olympique beat the handicap

The struggling Leigh Leopards go in search of just their second Betfred Super League win of the season on Saturday, with new boys Toulouse Olympique arriving in the north-west having lost their last three (17:30 GMT, live on BBC Two).

Leigh haven't won since their Round 1 victory over Leeds, and this already feels like an important contest even this early in the season. Keep reading for my Leigh Leopards vs Toulouse predictions and full team news.

Leigh Leopards vs Toulouse Odds

Team News

Both of these sides are out of form and in need of a win, with Leigh boss Adrian Lam making just one change to the squad narrowly beaten last week at Wakefield.

And the change is significant, with star prop Joe Ofahengaue finally fit enough to be named. He replaces youngster Oliver Polec, who has gone to Whitehaven on loan.

The French side make a couple of alterations, as Maxime Stefani and Baptiste Rodriguez come into the 21-man squad. The two to drop out are Pierre-Jean Lima and Englishman Joe Bretherton.

Handicap 3-way: Toulouse +16 @ 1/1

Leigh have had a really bad start to the year, of that there can be little doubt. Yet despite having lost four straight Betfred Super League games, they have reached the Challenge Cup quarter-finals in between and I still have the feeling that they will come good when some of their star performers return.

If Ofahengaue is cleared to play then that is a sizeable boost, and I have the home side as clear favourites to win this game.

Only against Wigan have Leigh been walloped this year, with the Leopards losing the other three by just a single score to Catalans, Wakefield and St Helens.

The handicap is 16 points in favour of the visitors, which a fully-fit Leigh should surpass with no problem. But I just have a feeling they might not have this all their own way.

Toulouse have very little to lose most weeks - excuse the pun. Nobody expects many wins from the French side this year, and they have already won two from five. Those were, however, the first two games of the season and three straight defeats to Bradford, Wigan and Saints have not really seen them get that close.

So this feels like the perfect game for Leigh to stop the rot and chalk up a win, it is just the handicap that unsettles me. Don't get me wrong - a fired-up Toulouse could even win this game. I would side with Leigh though, but like Toulouse on the handicap.

Olly Ashall-Bott Anytime Tryscorer @ 6/4

I think there will be tries for both sides in this one and, as you would expect, the Leigh wingers are at shortest odds to cross in 80 minutes.

Both Josh Charnley and Innes Senior are 4/6 with Betfred to score, while the powerful Tesi Niu represents better value at 10/11.

Charnley scored in defeat at Wakefield last week, as did Gareth O'Brien, who is available at 11/4 this week.

Benjamin Laguerre (9/4) is a constant menace for Toulouse, while full-back Olly Ashall-Bott is a player I have been banging on about all year.

At 6/4 to cross he will get chances, and is a proper 80-minute player who is always likely to bag a consolation even if it ends up being a tough night for the French side.

Click the link for all the latest Rugby League Odds

Find more Rugby League Betting Tips here at Betfred Insights