Toronto Wolfpack to make debut against Siddal in Ladbrokes Challenge Cup

TORONTO – The Toronto Wolfpack will make their debut at Siddal in the third round of the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup later this month.

The fledgling Canadian rugby league team will play either Feb. 25 or 26.

The draw for the knockout competition was held Tuesday, adding Toronto and the other 15 Kingstone Press League 1 clubs to the competition’s eight second-round winners.

Siddal, an amateur team from Halifax that competes in the Premier Division of England’s National Conference League, beat the Milford Marlins 16-4 and Pilkinton Recs 34-10 in the first two rounds.

Siddal topped its league last season with an 18-4-0 record and defeated League 1’s Newcastle Thunder 40-4 before falling 48-20 to the Rochelle Hornets in Cup play.

The Yorkshire club is one of England’s biggest amateur outfits with more than 350 players spread over 16 teams, from youth to masters.

Toronto, rugby league’s first transatlantic team, is set to begin play in the third tier of English rugby league on March 4 at the London Skolars. Its goal is to eventually win promotion to the elite Super League.

The Wolfpack have played one pre-season game to date, losing 26-20 to Super League team Hull FC in late January.