Rugby League Mar 12, 2026

Super League: Bradford Bulls beat Toulouse in 18-6 home win after Ethan Ryan hat-trick hands French side first loss of season

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By Admin
Sports Journalist
Super League: Bradford Bulls beat Toulouse in 18-6 home win after Ethan Ryan hat-trick hands French side first loss of season

Ethan Ryan scored a hat-trick as Bradford battled past Toulouse 18-6 at Odsal to inflict a first Betfred Super League defeat on the French side.

The Bulls ended their visitors' fine start to the campaign and made it two wins from three since returning to the top division.

After Toulouse - who had beaten Wakefield and then Castleford in their opening two games of the new season - had failed to land an early penalty, Rowan Milnes converted his attempt from the tee to edge the Bulls in front after 11 minutes.

Toulouse, though, slowly built a sustained spell of pressure and after a try was ruled out for a knock-on over the line, Anthony Marion showed quick feet to take a short pass and dart in under the posts on 23 minutes. This time, Cesar Rouge did make the extras.

Bradford - who lost their opener to Hull and then beat Catalans Dragons - mounted an impressive recovery to get their first try on the board just after the half-hour mark. Fijian winger Waqa Blake finished off a sweeping passing move to dive over in the corner. Milnes, though, missed his conversion attempt to leave things level at 6-6.

The Bulls maintained momentum and went into the break with a 10-6 lead after Connor Wynne drove forwards before Luke Hooley touched on an instinctive fingertip pass for Ryan to score in the left corner. Milnes again could not add the conversion.

Ryan got his second try soon after the restart when he collected a high kick from Milnes and held off Toulouse winger Paul Ulberg to spin down in the far corner.

Tempers flared in the 51st minute following a coming together between Bradford forward Joe Mellor and Toulouse hooker Brendan Hands, which was followed by a mass melee. Once everyone had calmed down, the referee warned both captains and awarded a penalty to the Bulls.

Caleb Aekins then sent a slide-rule pass across for Ryan to make a flying jump over into the same corner for his third try just after the hour as Bradford saw out the closing stages.

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