Wolfpack handle Leeds, move closer to Super League

LEEDS, ENGLAND — The Toronto Wolfpack recorded the biggest win of their young career Friday, edging the storied Leeds Rhinos 17-16 to move a step closer to Super League promotion.

Wolfpack fullback Gareth O’Brien, no stranger to matchwinning kicks, booted a longrange drop goal with five minutes remaining in the final round of the Super 8s Qualifiers.

Toronto (5-2-0) can finish now lower than fourth in the playoff table, which would mean hosting the so-called Million Pound Game on Oct. 7 with the winner earning promotion.

The Wolfpack can also finish third and secure automatic promotion if Hull Kingston Rovers (4-2-0) don’t beat Widnes (1-5-0) by at least 14 points Sunday.

If Hull KR do win by enough, Toronto will host London Broncos in the Million Pound Game.

“We’ll sit and watch Sunday’s game. We’ll relax, watch that and who knows, we might book a flight or go to the nearest pub,” Toronto coach Paul Rowley told Sky TV after the game. “We’ll see what happens at the end of Sunday. But I’m proud of the boys. They deserved that today.”

The Super 8s Qualifiers group the bottom four teams in the elite Super League (Leeds, Hull KR, Salford and Widnes) with the top four in the second-tier Betfred Championship (Toronto, London, Toulouse Olympique and Halifax RLFC).

The top three in the standings secure automatic places in the Super League while No. 4 faces No. 5 in the Million Pound Game to see who joins them.

Toronto pulled even at 16-16 in the 64th minute when, after captain Josh McCrone changed the direction of the attack, winger Matty Russell touched down a well-placed Bob Beswick grubber kick to the corner. But O’Brien missed the convert.

Both teams then narrowly missed a drop goal — McCrone in the 73rd minute and Richie Myler for Leeds in the 74th.

But O’Brien made no mistake on his drop goal. His late kick was also the difference in Toronto’s 13-12 win over Toulouse on Sept. 15.

“We dug in for each other, we knew it was going to be tough,” O’Brien told Sky. “Leeds are a champion side.”

“We’ve done our bit now,” he added. “We can’t control what other teams do, but we’ll see what happens.”