Toronto Wolfpack winning but feeling humble on transatlantic rugby league journey

TORONTO — After handing the next best team in their league a 68-point drubbing, the Toronto Wolfpack are rethinking their strategy. Coach Paul Rowley is digging into his roster.

The former England hooker, speaking after Saturday’s 70-2 demolition of second-place Barrow, said his lineup will have an “more than a hint of American flavour” when the unbeaten Wolfpack host the 14th-placed Coventry Bears (1-6-0) on June 3.

Joe Eichner, who earned a contract after impressing during tryouts with the fledgling rugby league team, will make his debut. Fellow American Ryan Burroughs, who has seen limited action with the Wolfpack, will likely also play.

Rowley, whose roster is largely British with a few notable Samoan, Tongan, Australian and New Zealand additions, can afford a moment to review the talent at his disposal. The Wolfpack are rampaging their way though the Kingstone Press League 1, the third tier of English rugby league.

Rugby’s first transatlantic team has won all eight league matches, averaging 60 points a game while limited the opposition to nine points an outing. Saturday’s top-of-the-table showdown saw Barrow taking an early 2-0 lead but normal service quickly resumed as the Wolfpack ran in 12 unanswered tries.

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The announced crowd of 7,144 enjoyed the spectacle on a sunny day at Lamport Stadium, the Wolfpack’s no-frills home. But while the lopsided game had plenty of points on offer, there was precious little drama.

Such mismatches are hardly surprising. Toronto is the lone fully professional side in a league made up of semi-pro outfits. Barrow coach Paul Crarey, an independent roofing contractor when not coaching, says some of his players walked away from Saturday match with about 30 pounds (C$53).

In contrast, Toronto prop Ryan Bailey has won six Super League championships and three World Club Challenges. On the international stage, he has represented both England and Great Britain.

Like Drake, the Wolfpack are starting from the bottom — with a big dream. To their credit, they are managing to stay humble en route so far.

“You have to keep it in perspective, this is the road to the Super League,” said Wolfpack CEO Eric Perez.

To get to the top tier, Toronto will have to win promotion twice. It has agreed to pay all the travel and housing costs for visiting teams until it reaches its ultimate goal.

Rowley has no complaints starting in the third tier, saying it allows the franchise to grow and overcome problems. 

“Logistically and building the business, we’ve needed this time to get things right,” he said. “If it was in Super League, I think it would be too challenging for us in terms of we’ve not got our infrastructure as a club ready yet. And the off-the-field business in terms of staffing is not right yet.

“And I think you appreciate things a lot more when you start from the bottom. Everybody in the club is working three people’s jobs. And that’s a good grounding. Humility’s a sparse commodity these days and we’ve had to have a lot of that. And that does us no harm at all.”

Whatever the club is doing, it seems to be working. Wolfpack players roamed up and down the stands and beer tents after Saturday’s game — the team’s second home date — shaking hands and taking selfies with grinning fans. Some players happily emerged with beer cans.

As is their tradition, the Wolfpack players then invited the media into their dressing room to watch a spirited rendition of their victory song, “Wolfpack’s on Fire.”

It’s hard not to like this team, which comes long on work ethic and short on ego. Unlike many of today’s pro teams, the Wolfpack seem to take little for granted.

Samoa international fullback Quentin Laulu-Togaga’e used to play before 1,000 fans a game as a member of the Sheffield Eagles.

“It’s been pretty special,” he said of the Toronto support so far.

“I think Rowls (Rowley) mentioned in (the locker-room) about how lucky and blessed we are,” added English halfback Ryan Brierley, who used to play in the Super League for the Huddersfield Giants. “I probably echo his sentiments.

“When you’re driving down the highway and you’re going past the CN Tower on the way to the game, it’s a bit surreal. I say thanks to the guys who put me in this position. We’re all one big family now. We’re living the dream as such. For me personally, I can’t thank the people enough who created this journey.”

Perez cautions that the Wolfpack road will get bumpier.

“There’s going to be hills and there’s going to be valleys. Right now we’re flying high but it’s a long road and I’m sure that there will be obstacles that we will eventually overcome that will be difficult.”

Still success right out of the box is definitely sweet for Perez, who has faced his share of disbelievers.

“In Toronto we could use a winning team,” he said with a smile. “We don’t really have one right now.”

A winning team, but one with few local ties. While the Wolfpack roster features two Canadian internationals, they are both Australian-born with Canadian bloodlines. The team has signed two Canadians but they are seen as long-term projects.

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter

Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press

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