Marquez so close to title

ALEX WALKER produced a million pound tackle to seal London Broncos’ return to Super League for the first time since 2014.

The Scottish international – outstanding throughout a try-less, arm-wrestle of a game – somehow prevented Toronto’s Blake Wallace touching down with 10 minutes remaining of a tension-filled clash.

Wolfpack full-back Gareth O’Brien, the hero of this fixture for Salford in 2016, also had a chance to level the score only to pull a difficult penalty attempt wide.

And the Broncos held on in the desperate closing stages to defy the pre-match odds thanks to two Jarrod Sammut penalties.

The capital club were unfancied at the start of the season following the exit of coach Andrew Henderson to become assistant at Warrington, with his No.2 Danny Ward taking the reins.

Just making the Qualifiers was seen as a major success, but they took the Super League scalps of Widnes and Salford to make the Million Pound Game.

Even then the Broncos were widely overlooked in favour of the big-spending Wolfpack, who were looking to realise their top-flight dream in only their second season.

But Ward’s men produced a remarkably resilient display to clinch promotion.

Ward said: “What a group of blokes and what a credit to London rugby league.

“We looked around at day one of pre-season, we were full of kids and hadn’t replaced anyone from last year having lost a lot of experience.

“Me and Langers (assistant Jamie Langley) had to drill in that we were going to do something special this year – and they took some convincing.

“But they’ve worked their absolute nuts off since then and they’ve been outstanding.”

A Toronto record crowd of 9,266 saw Sammut’s penalty as the only score of the first half.

O’Brien cancelled that out before Sammut responded in kind, and with Walker’s tackle on Wallace crucial, the Broncos stood firm.

Wolfpack part owner David Argyle, who has pledged his longterm commitment to the club, congratulated the London players on the pitch after the game and is set to fund another promotion push next year.

But coach Paul Rowley couldn’t hide his disappointment at falling short of Super League at the final hurdle.

He said: “We were second-best and I can’t compliment them enough – it’s London’s day and they deserve it.

“This will be a bitter pill to swallow. We’ve put our head above the parapet and said this is what we’re aiming for because we’re not afraid to do that – but we’ll go again.” MARC MARQUEZ won the first Thailand Grand Prix to take another step towards the 2018 crown.

Spaniard Marquez could lift the title at Honda’s home race in Motegi, Japan, after a seventh victory of the season.