Sims will be cheering brother from afar
Toronto Wolfpack forward Ashton Sims will be up early July 11, watching younger brother Tariq step onto one of rugby league’s biggest stages.
Tariq has been called up by the Queensland Maroons to play the New South Wales Blues in Game 3 of the State of Origin series in Brisbane, Australia. New South Wales won the first two games to take the series.
“Unbelievable. I’m so proud of him,” said Ashton, a manmountain at six-foot-four and 245 pounds. Tariq was summoned by Queensland in 2012 only to break both bones in his left leg. It happened in an NRL game against Penrith, with both brothers playing for the North Queensland Cowboys.
The 28-year-old Tariq, now with the St. George Illawarra Dragons, had broken the same leg in the same place nine months earlier.
“They were talking the second time about (him) never playing again,” said Ashton.
“I think it’s a great story of perseverance. Any kid out there who gets told no or any person who gets told they can’t do something, well, he’s just turned it around and he’s probably playing (in) the pinnacle game in our sport.”
The 33-year-old Ashton has a game of his own Saturday as the league-leading Wolfpack (17-1-1) host the ninth-place Sheffield Eagles (5-14-0) at Lamport Stadium. A win and Toronto will clinch the second-tier Betfred Championship title for its second league crown.
Ashton, who also played for St. George Illawarra and Brisbane in the NRL and Warrington in England, was back training with the Wolfpack this week after a calf injury.
While a country boy at heart, Ashton says he has fallen in love with Toronto after exploring the city on his bike.
“You guys don’t realize how lucky you’ve got it here,” he said. “I mean, I haven’t seen it in the winter. I hear winter’s pretty harsh. But it’s just such a great city. It’s easy to get around ... And the people are great.”