MUD, SWEAT AND ‘A BIT OF BIFF’
Toronto Wolfpack already dreaming of a Super League title parade down Yonge — but first, tomorrow’s home opener in tier-three rugby action.
There were smiles in the rain Thursday as the Toronto Wolfpack trained in advance of their weekend home opener.
After winning seven of eight competitive matches in England, rugby league’s first transatlantic team has embarked on the next step on its remarkable adventure — introducing the sport to Canada.
It starts Saturday against Oxford RLFC (2-2-0) with Wolfpack officials hoping that heavy rain forecast for the next couple of days will have dissipated by the scheduled 4:30 p.m. kickoff at Lamport Stadium.
The wet stuff is nothing new to a squad based in the north of England, although coach Paul Rowley tried to convince the media of the weather delights of Manchester. Rowley says his squad, which arrived Tuesday, is already enjoying Toronto.
“The most important people in all of this are the players and they’re absolutely loving their experience,” said the 42-year-old Rowley, a former England hooker. “It’s more than they could have ever imagined and that pleases me because I’m responsible for those guys and (for) bringing them to Canada.
“It’s a wonderful city. What’s not to love?”
Not to be confused with 15-man rugby union, rugby league is the lesser-known 13-man version of the game. It’s a sport that showcases both brutal hits and elegant runs.
“There’ll be blood, there’ll be tears, there’ll be beauty,” Rowley said. “So you’ve got a bit of everything. And so I’m told, the Canadians, they don’t mind a bit of biff and we’ll provide a little bit for them.”
The brainchild of team CEO Eric Perez, the Wolfpack have started life in the third tier of English rugby league with the hope of winning promotion to the second-tier Championship and elite Super League.
The fully professional Wolfpack have won all five matches in the Kingstone Press League1, outscoring their semi-pro opposition 310-37. Toronto also beat the London Broncos, a Championship side, 30-26 in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup competition before falling 29-22 to the Salford Red Devils, who stand third in the Super League — two divisions and 22 places ahead of the Wolfpack.
The inaugural trip to Toronto is a short one. After Saturday’s game, the Wolfpack head home for a May 12 match at the Newcastle Thunder.
Then it’s two games in Toronto, two on the other side of the Atlantic, four in Toronto and so on.
Captain Craig Hall, a statuesque six-foot-four back who previously played for Hull FC, Hull Kingston Rovers and Wakefield Trinity, says the Wolfpack are already a tight-knit group. “It’s probably been the best atmosphere I’ve had with a team since I’ve played.”
The Wolfpack players are fully invested, with many taking a pay cut for the chance to join the franchise.
Perez expects to make the top flight in three years.
“And I hope within five years, we have a parade down Yonge Street with the Super League trophy,” he said.
Props Fuifui Moimoi and Ryan Bailey will miss Saturday’s game due to visa red tape. Adam Sidlow and Jake Emmitt are expected to start.
Loose forward Jack Bussey is serving a one-game suspension for a forearm/elbow strike.
If it rains, Perez expects a crowd of 2,000 to 3,000 with 6,000 to 7,000 showing up if the sun shines. The tickets are all $16.99 plus tax.
They’ll get to see what Rowley calls “sexy rugby.” The Wolfpack love to throw the ball around on offence. On defence, they hit like a hammer.
For now, the Wolfpack home is 42year-old Lamport Stadium, which has a capacity of 9,600. The team is trying to make it fan-friendly, offering craft beer, but it has no shelter and no frills.
“It’s for the people,” Perez said of his team’s Toronto home. “This is a people’s team. We’re in the people’s stadium . . . As we move up in divisions, we will renovate the stadium.”