A YOUNG Warrington Wolves side were unable to kick Sunday’s double-header off with a victory against French champions Toulouse.

Kuni Minga scored twice in two minutes for the visitors at The Halliwell Jones Stadium, but Declan Patton replied before the break.

Minga completed his hat-trick after the interval and added his fourth, with a Samy Masselot try sandwiched inbetween.

Worryingly for Wolves, full back Matty Russell and forward Ben Harrison both left the field with injuries - Russell with his mouth and Harrison holding his ribs.

Wolves’ first foray towards the Toulouse line was created from a Gary Wheeler break, with the former Saints man stopped short of the line.

Hooker Andy Ackers was in quickly to feed Anthony England from the play-the-ball, but the forward fumbled in the tackle.

Wheeler was at the heart of Wolves’ play again moments later, spinning the ball wide to Joe Philbin who attempted two-handed pass from above the head could only find Jack Johnson’s feet – a better ball would have provided a score.

But it would be the visitors, to the great delight of an impressive travelling support, who would open the scoring 10 minutes in.

Florian Quintilla did well to gather from a chip over the Wolves defence before sending a grubber into the path of Minga, who went the distance.

Mark Kheirallah struck the post from the conversion.

Moments later Minga was in again. This time he broke the line from kick off before feeding Kheirallah.

The scrum half did not have the legs to outpace a retreating Russell, but Minga had carried on his support run and took a return pass to add his second in as many minutes.

Kheirallah slipped in his run up, but managed to edge the conversion over from the touchline to give Toulouse a 10-point lead.

Toulouse’ double salvo seemed to have knocked a bit of the momentum out of Wolves, and when they did threaten the visitors’ line some sloppy handling put pay to the attacking move.

It was a handling error from Gene Ormsby, knocking on after going to ground to gather a loose ball, that awarded Toulouse the territory to build another swathe of attacks.

However, a safe catch from Russell after a high spiral from Quintilla saw the full back clutching his mouth again after being felled by two Toulouse tacklers.

A worrying sign for Tony Smith with the Scotland international’s well-documented recent teeth traumas.

With five minutes of the half remaining, Wolves did manage a reprieve.

Wheeler, again appearing to slip on the turf, sent a kick deep into Toulouse territory and Patton was first to react as the visitors’ defence stood still.

The young half back scooped up on the bounce and went 20 metres to cross between the posts, before converting.

Wolves laid siege on the Toulouse line, with Patton twice going close on individual scurries, but when Wheeler attempted to dink a kick into Ormsby’s path, Munga was there intercept.

Ben Evans almost broke clear from Wheeler’s flat pass but an ankle tap brought him down, and Toulouse turned the ball over when the resulting pass crept forward.

Toulouse came out after the interval looking to repeat their start to the first, and a good break from Kheirallah, supported by Anthony Marion, only came to an end when the half back slipped.

At the other end, Patton looked to direct a kick into substitute Declan Kay’s path on 50 minutes, but the bounce defeated the young winger.

The French side still looked the most likely to add to their lead and it took Ormsby battling back to stop Minga from adding his third try of the afternoon.

The Wolves winger recovered well to pounce on Kheirallah’s grubber over the hosts’ line before his Toulouse counterpart could touch down.

Ben Harrison was held up short from Daniel Hirst’s pass, but Wolves kept the pressure on and a delicate Wheeler grubber had to be carried over his own line by Minga.

Having started both halves strongly, Toulouse looked like they were beginning to tire midway through the second as Wolves began to assert their authority on the friendly.

A good move through hands from the young Wolves back line saw Johnson and Harvey Livett combining before Kay was forced out in the corner.

Wheeler showed great feet to break away from several Toulouse defenders with 15 minutes remaining but fumbled the ball when he was eventually tackled.

Despite Wolves’ dominance, the French side were always a threat through the kicking of Kheirallah and the pace of Minga.

This time Johnson had to be alert to stop the winger pouncing on another deft kick to the corner.

Minga did get his hat-trick moments later, sending the visiting Toulouse fans into raptures in their matching club jackets, when he picked up a loose ball from a wayward pass to dive over emphatically in the corner.

The try went unconverted.

The Wolves side was now largely made up of last season's under 19s, along with Ormsby, as Wheeler, Harrison and England made way.

The visitors were again buoyed by Minga’s try and enjoying some expansive rugby at times.

They got their fourth try moments from the final hooter when a short pass to Masselot allowed the forward to power over from close range between the sticks. Kheirallah converted to open a 14-point lead.

The impressive Minga still had time to add a fourth, though, showing great power to bounce off a Wolves defender before touching down wide out for the 2014 French champions.