Ask the part time players trying to hold down a job and play rugby. 2 Transatlantic flights, a game of rugby when your body is 5 hours out of kilter and all over 3 or 4 days, then getting ready for another game a few days later

Then they miss out unfortunately.

Some will be in a position where they can't do it, but most would snap your hand off for the opportunity. It's once a year, with plenty of time to forward plan.

The fixture list could easily be worked to give them a free weekend afterwards, or work the fixtures so that they're playing on the Sunday, giving them 8 days in between.


A few responses in this thread are very typical of Rugby League fans in that they only see the negatives, which is a shame.

Get on with it, I say

Or, book nighttime flights, get your 8 hours on the plane, fly back overnight at which point you are back in your normal time zone.

There's little difference between being "5 hours out of kilter" and the difference between a 3pm KO and an 8pm KO

If you fly from Toronto to Manchester and take off at 10 pm (3am UK) and go to sleep, if you wake up at landing, your watch will say 6 am before you adjust it. It will in fact be 10am. So I don't see a major issue.

If you fly from Manchester and take off at 10 am, you'll land in Toronto say 12 noon. Your watch will say 5pm, so your day will be stretched, but again, if you have an early night, I don't see a major issue.

can you please take wire out of this list, we dont belong in it.

It's once a year. Maybe twice if they're in the playoffs.

Of course we could always put another small northern town in the league instead...

I don't see how the RFL would be liable for anything if the Toronto owner(s) pulled out either. So I'm struggling to see any risk or downside.

Cat, Its chairmen whose team hasn't won the grand final?

These are the same rumours that have been going about for a few months now, there's still nothing official been released. We don't know much more over this side of the pond either.

But do you not think its a good idea I do, and like someone said if it takes of the good old USA might want a go

Absolutely it's a good idea; anything which raises the profile of the game is a good thing. I understand there will be a reserve grade side in the Ontario domestic League next year if all goes well.

Press conference slated for April 27th apparently.

You find me a young lad who isn't willing to take a few days annual leave, to go and play the game he loves, in a fantastic part of the world for free!

Would have thought a better option for the game would have been to support 6 Canadian teams and seed with 36 players to get a balanced mini league on Canadian TV and providing safer contact sport option to show schools and parents.

My main worry would be how Sky view this - presumably Toronto's financial plans depend on million pound payouts from Sky. Not many subscribers out there or in France and as Sky move increasingly to internet where they can accurately measure viewers by location we may find the goose laying less golden eggs.

If we (global RL) invested in creating strong French and Canadian leagues we may start heading toward the World Cup lineups we all crave - I fear we will end up diluting SL and end up with a couple of Classic clubs fading away in the championship.

How would the sport support 6 teams? Why would 36 players decide to move to Canada for a part time income?


Why would their plans depend on million pound payouts from Sky? They're in League 1.


With what money would we invest in French & Canadian leagues? We don't even invest enough in the English league.

Sporting life article, with some details. www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... gue-set-up

Sporting life article, with some details. www.sportinglife.com/rugby-leagu ... gue-set-up

Good luck to them.

We are still missing the London trick

It's worth a go.

It's a stepping stone for a US side later. Sport is expanding, especially Rugby Union. RL has to make inroads into the international scene. There's ton's of quality player capacity in Australia and England with multi national connections to assist in it's player supply.

The success of the RWC shows what crowds love. Expand the game guys and create opportunity for our boys to aspire and travel.

Whats the weather like in Toronto Feb/Mar? Is it not snowy!! Maybe play the first batch of matches in UK

It's getting a fair bit of publicity: espn.go.com/rugby/story/_/id/153 ... ague-setup

It's getting a fair bit of publicity: espn.go.com/rugby/story/_/id/153 ... ague-setup

Announcement in: www.rugby-league.com/article/373 ... eague--in- www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/a ... rian-noble www.loverugbyleague.com/news_217 ... eiled.html

Announcement in: www.rugby-league.com/article/373 ... eague--in- www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/a ... rian-noble www.loverugbyleague.com/news_217 ... eiled.html

That is brilliant, good to see rugby league being ambitious as we should be. First ever trans-Atlantic sports league, should give rugby league some real publicity and help grow an already growing market. Very happy to see thus announcement!
Also I want to see that reality tv show that it says about on the rugby league website article. Series about them recruiting players, intriguing.

very smart looking badge

wish them all the luck, hopefully it will be a success and raise the profile of our game


who knows, sky sports may decide to pick up some matches in 2017

If they make superleague, i really hope our game in Toronto is on a Thursday

It's madness they are going to be in league 1. If were going to do this just put them in the super league.

How many teams are in the Canadian domestic league?

i think the free away support travel will stop at manchester airport