Toulouse to pay tribute to Archie Bruce

James Gordon

Toulouse will hold a minute’s applause in tribute to Archie Bruce, ahead of their Championship game against Dewsbury at Blagnac on Saturday.

Bruce, 20, was found dead in his hotel room just hours after making his professional debut for Batley in their 46-0 defeat to Toulouse on August 17.

An autopsy performed at the Rangueil Institute of Forensic Medicine concluded that there was a “death by asphyxiation” and toxilogical tests are under way to determine the cause of this respiratory failure.

A Just Giving page set up in Bruce’s memory has raised nearly £8,000.

A number of fans wore shirts dedicated to Bruce at the Challenge Cup final at Wembley, where a minute’s applause was held in his memory.

Players at his community club Dewsbury Moor have had tattoos to pay tribute to the hooker or scrum-half.