Of those three, which ones were contracted to Leigh for 2017?

It disrupted you that much you flew through the 8's and didn't even need the MPG. If you're season had collapsed you'd maybe have a case. Surely it's time to move on from it? Worthington, Kay & Dixon are hardly worth being bitter about.

Was just answering your question.

I'm not bitter about Toronto, but if a club was tapping up your players from February onwards on the scale that Toronto were talking to Leigh players, you wouldn't be screaming your support for them from the rooftops.

Sorry, I didn't mean to imply you personally were bitter, more referring to those who have shown a lot of bitterness over the past year or so towards Toronto.

arent they changing the structure of the challenge cup anyway?

First I've heard of this. Anyone else know anything?

I can't see the structure of the challenge cup changing until the structure of Super League does which looks like it may be 2018.

On a different note, Warrington and Wigan organising pre-season friendlies with NRL clubs casts doubt on the World Club Challenge/Series.

Depends on how it's done. They might just follow football's example and have a small pre-season tour there. I for one encourage it, the more our teams play against the Aussies the more we will learn.

Don't you mean Hull and Wigan?

Having just watched some of the Toronto highlights (from their website), the crowd looked way smaller than 7000 ?, maybe a couple of thousand at the most.
Are they counting "members" or actual attendances ?

Also, in the context of what has gone before, the defeat against York was one hell of a shock.

Without being too disrespectful to York, Toronto should be all over them with their squad.
Did they rest players or just have a bad day at the office ?

thought same when i watched them too, didnt look like 7k to me.

Toronto loss to york doesnt mean much they will still go up, toulouse did a similar thing last season.

Well who knows how many the stand holds where they are filming from. Canadians have a tendency to turn up later in the game rather than get there for kickoff. I've watched every single one of Toronto's games on Premier Sports and I was shocked how empty the ground looked in the 10th minute but then by the 60th minute it looked really full! And they will count season ticket holders just like every other cub does.

Yes the York defeat was a shock but York played extremely well! Some fantastic rugby on show from them, they kept their discipline and Toronto did not hence the two sin bins from two team warnings. York coach must get a lot of praise too from taking points from their 64-22 loss in Toronto and using that to learn for this game.

You are right Toronto should have won and nope, no resting players. Toronto had a full team out minus the injured Andrew Dixon, Gary Wheeler, Sean Penkywicz and Ryan Bailey.

TORONTO - Quentin Togaga'e, Jonny Pownall, Greg Worthington, Craig Hall, Liam Kay, Blake Wallace, Ryan Brierley, Adam Sidlow, Bob Beswick, Jake Emmitt, James Laithwaite, Richard Whiting, Jack Bussey.

SUBS - Rhys Jacks, Fuifui Moimoi, Shaun Pick, Steve Crossley.

Am I missing something, the game was played at York.

What's Gary Wheeler's appearance record been like at Toronto? Has he managed to put a run of games together finally?

Well done York....stuff you Paul 'Mr Morals' Rowley...winker.

Typical response from the Leigh flat capper. Don't worry, thundering Toronto will soon be in Super league and lowly Leigh will not. The world will be forced to deal with international rugby league clubs in Super League, to the dismay of rugby union and the insular league flat cappers.

[iTapping Up - Tempestuous Toronto tragically Tanked [/i by [iYouthful York City Slick Knights [/i in [itantalising tie !!![/i

Do you really think that Union has anything whatsoever to fear about International RL.
With the sudden interest from the media in women's sport, RL is so far down the pecking order that, outside the RL bubble and forums like this, nobody gives a toss about our sport.

While the 64-22 defeat was a big loss, York competed well for most of it and I think the signs were there that York could compete if they played them at home. 7 trys in 20mins either side of half time did the damage, I thought the same would happen on Sunday when Toronto scored 2 quick trys straight after half time.

Despite his referee moan, I'm glad Rowley hasn't used injuries as an excuse as York were also missing some players who would've been in the 17 - including captain Ed Smith who will probably be at a Super League club next season.

One final point. I spoke to around 30 Canadian fans before the match, most of them living over here. Including those wearing Wolfpack gear, they had perhaps 200 there. If they reach Super League, and continue with the good marketing work they've done, I can see not just their home crowd but also their away support putting some established clubs to shame.

when they have played in toronto.

How would you know what a 7k crowd looks like?

Even IF Shudds got a 7k crowd, with the £99 season tickets, its only equivalent to 3.5k anywhere else

hilarious! thats a new one





could be worse and have salford , widnes crowds... (giants get 5k home fans every week so not too bad.)

or play in that thing called a stadium at belle vue thats shared with sheffield

indeed, with Catalans & Toulouse 'not doing great' Jean, is now a 'fake' canadian, or should that be 'french-canadian' ?

Played 9 on the bounce at the start of the season but only featured once since due to injury. He's been played all over though so those 9/10 games were never in a settled position. Scored 3 tries too.

Agreed! When they played in Toronto I thought York played really well and looked like the only team who could do some damage against Toronto. I also agree with your assessment of the game. However I will credit the York coach as he learned a lot defensively too. I know Toronto also had an off game but York did not allow them to play which I though was fantastic! York also kept their discipline too!

You're right! Fair play to Rowley for not blaming injuries, then again how could he with the side he put out? Ed Smith is a very good player and will have been a bigger miss for York than say Dixon, Wheeler and Bailey were for Toronto based on the size and quality of Toronto's depth. And I hope the York boys go well! Especially after having such a worrying off season and they weren't even included in the fixtures due to their uncertainty of survival. I just hope York go from strength to strength now!

Canadians do love their sport and I hope Toronto do progress and gets more fans behind our wonderful game. Yes, it is run by monkey's who have no idea but the sport itself is the best. And opening up our professional game to a 'new' country will bear fruit in a few years. And I do hope they travel well too! After all at the moment it's a novelty for them too!