Toulouse 28 Halifax 6: Fleming try is all Halifax have to show from defeat in Toulouse

Richard Marshall’s side, who lost to 14-0 Toronto in last weekend’s opening round of fixtures, again saw plenty of possession in a game that was arguably closer than the scoreline suggests, but struggled to convert it into points.

Impressive winger Chris Centrone scored twice as Sylvain Houles’s side, who lost out at the Shay on the penultimate weekend of the Championship season, opened up a 16-0 interval advantage.

Paul Marcon, Stan Robin and Anthony Marion also touched down, with full-back Mark 
Kheirallah kicking four conversions.

Fax finally got on the scoresheet in the closing minutes through prop Dan Fleming, with centre Steve Tyrer landing the conversion.

Marshall had made a number of changes to his side in an attempt to sharpen their attacking edge, recalling Fleming and influential loose forward Simon Grix and giving a debut to on-loan St Helens back rower Liam Cooper.

Londoner James Woodburn-Hall came back in at centre, with Ben Heaton moving out into the back row and another loanee, Castleford’s Brandon Douglas, returning from long-term injury on the bench.

Fax play the first of four successive games against Super League opposition when they host struggling Widnes at the Shay on Sunday, September 2 (3pm), when the Qualifiers resume after next weekend’s Challenge Cup final.

Two tries from Simon Brown helped Sheffield Eagles clinch a 26-18 Championship Shield win at Swinton Lions.

Mark Aston’s Eagles trailed 14-4 at half-time, but turned the tables after the break.

Sheffield’s other tries came from Menzie Yere, James Bentley and Jon Magrin, Brown kicking three goals.