Featherstone Rovers 90 Toulouse Olympique 10: Rampant Featherstone go top with 17-try rout of struggling Toulouse

Andy Kain and Tommy Saxton each scored three tries as Rovers trounced struggling Toulouse for the second time this season following their 56-18 win in France three months ago.

It lifted Featherstone to the top of the table on points difference and improved their chances of winning the league leaders’ shield for the second year running.

They are level on points with Batley and Leigh but have two matches in hand on the Bulldogs and one game in hand on the Centurions.

Liam Finn piled up 26 points with 11 goals and a try in Featherstone’s biggest-ever league win. It was just six points short of the club record 96-0 victory against amateurs Castleford Lock Lane in the Challenge Cup seven years ago.

Second-rower Jon Grayshon scored one of the best tries with a 90-yard individual effort after he collected a kick from Constant Villegas near his own try line.

Featherstone’s other try scorers were Ben Kaye (two), Bryn Powell (two), Ian Hardman (two), Stuart Dickens, Sam Smeaton and Jon Hepworth.

Toulouse, who were 40-0 down after just 21 minutes and trailed 52-0 at half-time, improved in the second period after a dismal first-half showing.

They were 62-0 behind before they finally opened their account in the 51st minute with Darren Nicholls’s try after the stand-off intercepted Finn’s pass 25 yards out.

Yoan Tisseyre scored Toulouse’s second try 11 minutes from time, with a consolation effort.

Featherstone Rovers: Hardman; Powell, Smeaton, Hepworth, Saxton; Kain, Finn; Tonks, Kaye, Dickens, Grayshon, Spears, Divorty. Substitutes: Gledhill, Netherton, Mvududu, Dale.

Toulouse Olympique: Bromley; Ormeno, Planas, Couturier, White; Nicholls, Villegas; Wynn, Cook, Larroyer, Maria, Tisseyre, Houles. Substitutes: Faure, Gout, Moliner, Gigord.

Referee: G Hewer (Whitehaven).