Toulouse v Huddersfield: No Mark Kheirallah for Super League newcomers
Toulouse full-back Mark Kheirallah (left) and Huddersfield prop Chris Hill (right) (photos: SWpix)
There is no Mark Kheirallah in the Toulouse squad for their maiden Super League match against Huddersfield at the Stade Ernest Wallon on Saturday.
The France international was available for selection. But he doesn’t feature in Sylvain Houles’ 21-man squad for the club’s first-ever Super League match.
Toulouse’s preparations for their first year in Super League have been hit by player drama in the build-up.
Captain and stand-off Johnathan Ford departed the club due to personal reasons, in light of the new restrictions in France requiring all players to be double-vaccinated.
The future of several other players has also been called in to question, including star full-back Mark Kheirallah.
He even posted on Instagram earlier this week about his excitement of playing this weekend. However, Kheirallah will have to wait a little longer to make his Super League debut.
Toulouse are also without Harrison Hansen, Latrell Schaumkel, Gadwin Springer and Mathieu Jussaume due to injury.
Matty Russell, Chris Hankinson and James Cunningham are set to make their Toulouse debuts. They joined the club in the off-season.
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Meanwhile, Huddersfield are without Jermaine McGillvary, Michael Lawrence and Ricky Leutele for their trip to France.
Off-season arrivals Tui Lolohea, Theo Fages, Chris Hill and Danny Levi will make their debuts for the Giants.
Innes Senior, Sebastine Ikahihifo and Ollie Roberts, who all spent last season on loan elsewhere, are included in Ian Watson’s squad.
Toulouse: Vaivai, Marcon, Albert, Navarrete, White, Dixon, Peyroux, Marion, Pelissier, Puech, Bretherton, Paulo, Garbutt, Cunningham, Bergal, Hankinson, Sangare, Armitage, Russell, Gigot, Stefani.
Huddersfield: Pryce, Wardle, Lolohea, Fages, Hill, Levi, Jones, McQueen, Yates, English, Greenwood, Trout, Ikahihifo, O’Brien, Roberts, Cudjoe, L Senior, Russell, I Senior, Ashworth, Ashall-Bott.
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