Rugby: Russell leads the way as Wolfpack win

ROCHDALE, ENGLAND— Winger Matty Russell scored four tries Sunday as the Toronto Wolfpack cruised to a 58-6 win over the Rochdale Hornets in Betfred Championship play.

The game was a matchup of the top and bottom teams last year in the second tier of English rugby league.

Toronto, which topped the Championship at 20-2-1 in 2018, was coming off a season-opening 14-0 win at York City Knights. Rochdale, which finished at the bottom of the 12team Championship last season with a 4-19-0 record, had its opener — against Dewsbury Rams — called off due to a frozen pitch.

Quick ball movement by the Toronto backs led to Russell’s quartet of tries, all in the left corner.

“Ricky did all the work really. I just had to put them down,” said Russell, referencing newly acquired star centre Ricky Leutele.

Leutele, Joe Mellor, Gareth O’Brien, Darcy Lussick, Chase Stanley, Jake Emmitt and Adam Sidlow also scored tries for Toronto, which led 26-6 at the half. Gareth O’Brien booted seven conversions.

Adam Lawton scored the lone try for the Rochdale part-timers. Dan Abram kicked the conversion.

“I thought our defence was soft in the first half. They made too many metres on us …We’ve got to tighten up there,” Toronto forward Jon Wilkin said.

“We’re pleased with the result but we’ve got a lot to work on,” he added.

Toronto will face a stiffer test at Widnes (2-0-0) next Saturday. The Vikings, relegated after last season, downed Toulouse 36-24 on Saturday.

“We’re looking forward to it … a big test for ourselves,” Toronto coach Brian McDermott said.