Toulouse vs Wakefield Trinity Prediction: Visitors to continue play-off push

Wakefield bid to maintain their top-four momentum on Saturday evening with the sun on their backs as Trinity head to the south of France to take on Betfred Super League new boys Toulouse.

Olympique lost at home to Warrington last time out and may find it tough going again as they welcome a Trinity side who put half a century on fellow French outfit Catalans Dragons last weekend. Read on for my Toulouse vs Wakefield Trinity predictions.

Toulouse vs Wakefield Trinity Odds

Team News

Wakefield are looking to avenge their surprise opening-round defeat to Toulouse and name an unchanged side for the trip.

That means England winger Tom Johnstone is still out, while full-back Max Jowitt is also missing.

There could yet be a change to the matchday 17 however, with forward Isaiah Vagana unused last week.

As for Toulouse, there will be a change in the halves as former Featherstone scrum-half Thomas Lacans misses out.

And try-scoring back row Mathieu Jussaume is also missing which is a sizable setback - the Frenchman is at the heart of most of the action at both ends of the field.

Huge Garrigues is the other man to make way, with Jake Shorrocks and France international Paul Marcon both returning in an initial 20-man squad.

Handicap 3-Way Wakefield -16 @ 1/1

Wakefield's 18-16 home defeat to Toulouse in round one was an eyebrow-raiser, but the two teams have had pretty differing fortunes since. Toulouse won their first two games of the campaign in fact, but have really struggled since, adding just one more victory.

Trinity on the other hand look a really good shout for the play-offs. Well structured, well coached by veteran Daryl Powell, and with real excitement in the three-quarters out wide.

Wakefield scored 11 tries against Catalans last week and ran riot against a Dragons side that I felt gave up. But it does make you wonder what kind of damage they could do to Toulouse if the side from West Yorkshire touch down in France in the same mood.

I fancy an away win, which is admittedly not the boldest of predictions, but Toulouse do tend to be good to watch at home where they like to keep fans entertained by throwing the ball around.

Last weekend's home defeat to Warrington was a game very much in that vein, with the Wolves winning four tries to three and only 24-18 despite leading 18-0 at the break. So there is spirit in this Toulouse team too and I hope they give it a go against Wakefield.

Given how formidable the Wakefield form is, the handicap is pretty high at 16. If the home side can get within eight points of Warrington then they can certainly do the same against Wakefield.

But I do wonder how they will replace the energy of Jussaume who is such a talisman for Olympique. Every player in a Toulouse shirt will have to be on it to keep this one close.

Olly Ashall-Bott Anytime Tryscorer @ 5/4

Wakefield were on it last week. Eleven tries against Catalans came from eight different scorers, and a surprise hat-trick for Caius Faatili - he is 6/4 with Betfred to cross again this week.

Oli Pratt has been a great selection most weeks and is 4/6 to cross again in France - although we had to wait 71 minutes for the England hopeful to cross last week.

I'm expecting both teams to score though so am going to look at Toulouse in the anytime market as that is where the value is. In the absence of Jussaume it is full-back Olly Ashall-Bott who is their undoubted dangerman.

Ashall-Bott grabbed a couple of tries in that Warrington loss last week and will need to be a bright spark again if the home side are to get anything out of this one.

He has eight tries to his name this term which has him eighth in the top scorers list and I fancy him to nick another here.

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