Rugby: Wolfpack stay perfect with win

Captain Craig Hall scored four tries and 38 points Saturday as the unbeaten Toronto Wolfpack ran roughshod over their latest transatlantic visitor, pounding the Hemel Stags 74-16.

It was first versus worst in the standings with the fully professional Wolfpack beating up another team of part-timers in the Kingstone Press League 1, the third tier of English rugby league where Toronto (15-0-0) has had to start life.

Hemel (1-14-0) was outgunned but made the most of Toronto errors before a Wolfpack-record crowd of 7,247 at Lamport Stadium. The Wolfpack padded their lead with six unanswered second-half tries.

“We started phenomenally well, really aggressive,” said coach Paul Rowley. “It came a little bit easy and we took our foot off the gas. But credit to Hemel. I thought their courage and endeavour brought them into the game. And every point they scored they deserved. I’ve got a lot of respect for how they applied themselves today.

“But ultimately, again 70-something points (scored). We finished the league undefeated, the regular season.”

Toronto has the week off before starting the Super 8s round of playoffs, which features the top eight sides in the league. The teams play each other with the eventual leader earning promotion to the second-tier Championship.

The second- and third-place teams then meet to decide the second promoted team.

The Wolfpack will play their first three games of the round in England before hosting the final four. Their next home game is Aug. 19.

“We will have to be better,” Rowley said of the next challenge.

Toronto was without the injured Ryan Brierley, Andrew Dixon, Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e, Sean Penkywicz, Ryan Bailey and Gary Wheeler.