Toronto Wolfpack to sit out rest of Super League season, citing financial challenges

Toronto Wolfpack rugby balls and training equipment are shown at Lamport Stadium in Toronto, in a May 10, 2019 file photo. The future of the Toronto Wolfpack was thrown in doubt Monday with news the transatlantic rugby league team will sit out the rest of the 2020 Super League season. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Neil Davidson

TORONTO — The Toronto Wolfpack will sit out the rest of the 2020 Super League season, citing financial challenges due to the global pandemic.

The club says it plans to field a team in the 2021 season.

Toronto, which started in the third tier of English rugby league in 2017, currently sits in the top-tier Super League basement at 0-6-0. It has not played since March 11 because of the pandemic.

The Super League is slated to resume Aug. 2 behind closed doors in England.

Toronto played all of its previous games this year in England. And it had planned to continue playing games there this season because of travel and other restrictions.

But that changed Monday.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 20, 2020.