Boos ring out after Saints nilled at home by Toulouse

Everything about the 80-minute performance was massively way off the mark; a display littered with errors from start to finish.

Their feeble application in defence was only matched by a staggering ineptitude with the ball which saw elite players seemingly incapable of executing the basics of catch and pass.

The paying spectators very rarely dish out boos to their own team, but that unusually vocal response - and the 46-0 scoreline - was just deserts for a performance that was not simply bereft of quality, but more damning was the distinct lack of pride and effort.

Ahead of the game Toulouse full back Olly Ashall Bott was singled out as a dangerman, and so he proved with him providing the assists to five of the French side’s tries.

But in truth, although Toulouse played well and they deserved their sporting applause from the home fans after the match, they did not have to produce anything special to open Saints up.

It was like taking candy from a baby with the line penetrated by simple hard carries and ball movement – the basic fundamentals of rugby league.

Some of the tries conceded, like Romeo Tropis’ touchdown after some sloppy play from Jackson Hastings at marker, are not what you expect to see at this level from Saints once renowned for its defence.

No wonder Paul Rowley described the display as “embarrassing”.

Plenty are now asking what he will do fix it and to save those similar blushes next week and the rounds after.

To put the scale of the defeat into historical context, this is the first time Saints have been nilled at home since the defeat by Widnes in 1980 and it is Toulouse’s first win on St Helens soil.

But the scale of the defeat and what that means for the here and now is more pertinent than the historical stats, with the points margin meaning Saints now drop out of the top six and go below Leigh with nine rounds to go.

It will undoubtedly lead to so much soul searching; from the playing group through to the coaching staff and those fans fears and frustrations will be feeding into the boardroom, too.

There are two sides to the story and mitigation by the bucket load if you take a look at 15 players ruled out, added to by another in Owen Dagnall who was helped off in agony midway through the second half.

The last men standing are playing busted and visibly bandaged – and coach Rowley spelled out the numbers who are “needled and patched up to get on the field”.

And yes, the Toulouse game came the week after an absorbing and draining 80 minutes against Wigan – one in which they lost four more senior players; maybe the straw that broke the camel’s back.

Nevertheless, that does not excuse a performance alien to those connected with the club - on both sides of the fence - and on a par with the 70-0 drubbing Ian Millward's side suffered at Headingley in July 2004.

Before the game Rowley spoke about it being “backs against the wall” and seeing how coping with adversity tests people’s characters and seeing what they are made of.

Sunday will not have been the answer he was looking for, but his room for manoeuvre seems limited personnel wise, given the numbers of absentees.

The 17 names on the teamsheet are better than what they tossed up yesterday – and you could see the confidence of some of those draining into their boots as the game progressed.

Rowley’s main task, however, will be about getting those players back on the same page collectively rather than playing like a bunch of beaten and bedraggled individuals.

And those who have stepped up to be the team’s leaders now have to lead and show their mettle.

The pressure is on.