The Rugby Football League "has confirmed that a Canadian side will be introduced into English rugby league from next season," according to Aaron Bower of the London GUARDIAN. Toronto Wolfpack will enter League One -- the sport’s third tier -- and "will play home and away fixtures in blocks of four or five, staying in Yorkshire while playing away and training in Bradford."
The Wolfpack "will play their home games at Toronto’s Lamport Stadium, home of the Canada national side, and have already confirmed an impressive off-field team to head up the organisation." Former Great Britain coach Brian Noble "will join as director of rugby with the former Leigh coach Paul Rowley working as head coach." Noble: "It’s brand new -- I’ve done a lot of things in the game but to be involved in this and to take something from nowhere is exciting." The Wolfpack "will fund the expenses of the other 15 League One sides, 12 of which are part-time, when they travel to Toronto." Club CEO Eric Perez: "Toronto is a city ready to embrace the first transatlantic sports team, and we’re proud to be behind it." With the infrastructure and launch of the club confirmed, attention "will now turn to recruiting the players for the inaugural season in 2017." Rowley and Noble both confirmed that they "will conduct a wide search for talent" (GUARDIAN, 4/27).
