The Rugby Football League will finally confirm today that a side from Canada will be granted entry into League One from next season.
The Toronto-based team will join the sport’s third tier after the project was granted by the RFL, with clubs overwhelmingly backing the concept.
The deal will be confirmed at a launch event in Leeds on Wednesday, when key members of the new club will explain how the project will work.
League Express understands that former Leigh Centurions coach Paul Rowley will be the head coach of the side, and former Great Britain boss Brian Noble will work as the director of rugby of the team.
The idea is initially the brainchild of Canadian entrepreneur Eric Perez, but it is understood that there will be financial backing from Australia, too.
As for the logistics of travelling to Canada, the Toronto team will play a run of three or four games in succession in England before doing the same over in Canada.
Last year, Perez told League Express that it is not an uncommon occurrence for sport across the Atlantic.
“Travel in North American sport is common,” he said.
“We have a team in every major sporting league in North America based in Toronto, and when we’re playing a team in Los Angeles it’s a four-hour flight.
“You couldn’t pick a better city in Canada. We share the same ideals as the people in the north of England do.
“We believe in Rugby League so much and we believe in the potential of it in Canada. We average 6,000 for internationals and the reception has been huge.”
Once their admission into the domestic league structure has been confirmed, attention will turn towards recruiting players for the side.
It is understood that Bradford Bulls prop Dan Fleming will be one of the exports to join the team, with the men behind the project scouring the leagues for talent.
