Super ‘desperate’ time for Toronto Wolfpack
Rugby league squad needs win to move closer to promotion
TORONTO — The Toronto Wolfpack can make history and take a significant step toward their goal of Super League promotion Saturday when they host the Widnes Vikings.
The transatlantic rugby league team, which started life in the sport’s third tier last year, looks to record its first-ever win over Super League opposition. A Toronto victory, coupled with losses by London Broncos and Toulouse Olympique, would assure the Wolfpack of being at least in the so-called “Million Pound Game,” with the winner securing a spot in the top-flight Super League.
With two games remaining in the Super 8s Qualifiers, Toronto has beaten three fellow secondtier Betfred Championship sides and lost to two Super League teams. Widnes has lost four of five.
The visit by Widnes, another Super League side, prompted a post-practice talk Friday from Wolfpack director of rugby Brian Noble, an iconic former rugby league player and coach.
“I just kind of asked them to look around at each other and recognize that we’re a good team,” Noble said. “That our performances over the last six weeks have been sketchy. And that’s the nature of the opposition that comes and throws things at you.
“And that’s why we’re involved. How exciting is it? People will literally swap limbs to be where we’re at.”
A loss Saturday could relegate Widnes to the Championship.
“I keep hearing how desperate Widnes are,” said Noble. “You best believe one of the things I reminded our blokes of was, ‘Do you know what? I think we’re pretty desperate ourselves.’
“We worked really really hard from a blank piece of paper 2½ years ago. And to get to where we are at the moment, it’s just so thrilling.”
But Noble acknowledged Widnes will be very motivated. “It’s do or die for them. Livelihoods are at stake.”
The Super 8s Qualifiers pit the bottom four teams in the Super League against the top four in the Championship (which Toronto topped with a 20-2-1 record).
After a round-robin competition, the top three sides earn Super League status. No. 4 faces No. 5 in the Million Pound Game scheduled for Oct. 7 to see who joins them. Salford Red Devils, Leeds Rhinos and Hull Kingston Rovers are in the top three positions with Toronto fourth.
The promotion and relegation system will change next year with a simple one-up and onedown format.
Toronto (3-2-0) has already beaten Halifax, London and Toulouse. It lost to Salford and Hull with a game at Leeds still to come.
The Vikings (3-20-0) finished last in the Super League and lost its first four Super 8s Qualifiers before beating Halifax 26-12 last weekend to snap a 17-game losing streak.
Toronto has only lost seven of 57 competitive matches (48-7-2) over two years, with four of those setbacks at the hands of Super League opposition. The Wolfpack lost to Salford last year and Warrington this year in Ladbrokes Challenge Cup play.