SWINTON Lions could not put on a show for a big crowd at Heywood Road when they lost 62-8 to Toulouse in the Championship.

Free entry saw more than 2,000 in attendance and the Lions began brightly before the Gallic flair of the division’s top points scorers exploded into life.

In a tight first 20 minutes, Toulouse gained a narrow lead, taking advantage of an interception to post their opening points, a try from inspired stand-off Jonathon Ford, converted by Mark Kheirallah.

It seems nigh on unbelievable to state that Swinton were still very much in the game after 22 minutes, so much so that Chris Hankinson opted to kick a penalty to give them an 8-6 lead, following a converted Will Hope try.

However, a glut of long-range tries from Stanislas Robin, Kheirallah and Anthony Marion close to the interval knocked the stuffing out of the Lions and Toulouse morphed into the dangerous attacking beast they are renowned to be, with Ford and Kheirallah instrumental.

In the second half, Toulouse cut loose, crossing the whitewash a further seven times.

Ford gained his second, while Tony Maurel, Charles Bouzinac and Mourad Kriouache were on the scoresheet and Robin completed a hat-trick.