Rugby league in Canada

Rugby league football is a participation and spectator sport in Canada. The code was first introduced to Canada in the 20th century, but the game struggled to survive in a competitive sporting market. By the end of the century, rugby league had disappeared completely from Canada. The game was re-introduced to Canada in the early 21st century with the formation of a national team. The start of an amateur domestic competition saw rugby league grow. In 2017, professional rugby league arrived in Canada with the Toronto Wolfpack joining the predominantly British and French Rugby Football League system in the third tier League 1.

Rugby league in Canada
The Toronto Wolfpack take the field against the London Broncos during the Challenge Cup
CountryCanada
Governing bodyCanada Rugby League
National team(s)
First played1928
National competitions

History

Games related to rugby football have been played in Canada since the 19th century, with the first Rugby Union being established in 1861. However, the rugby league made little headway into the country, where rugby union and later Canadian football were the dominant field sports. In 1928 the Great Britain Lions, Britain's national rugby league team, visited Canada on their way home from a tour of Australia and New Zealand. According to the Imperial Rugby League Board, a domestic competition using rugby league rules was held in Canada the following year.[1]

From the late 19th century Canadian unions adopted rule changes, generally similar to changes made in the United States, which created the sport known as Canadian football. Through the 20th century football gained in popularity, displacing other codes. With support declining, the Nova Scotia Rugby Union, which governed the sport in Nova Scotia and the Maritimes, decided to adopt the rugby league code in hopes of saving rugby from the incursion of Canadian football. The switch was first discussed in 1945, but the lack of a rule book precluded any action. The switch was finally agreed upon in 1946, and the switch was made the following season.[2]

With the exception of Halifax schools, which had adopted football, all competitions in the Maritimes, – the senior level, Maritime, high school, and university competitions – made the switch to rugby league. Unlike most rugby league competitions, the NSRU continued to be recognized by the Canadian Rugby Football Union, and all players remained amateur. Though attendance and participation increased in the first year, it did not last, and football continued to increase in popularity throughout the Maritimes. The universities all switched to football by 1955, and the senior league shrank to just four teams. Rugby league continued to be played in many Nova Scotia high schools until 1959, and was still played elsewhere in the Maritimes into the 1960s, but disappeared thereafter.[2]

Revival

In the 1980s interest in amateur rugby league returned, and in 1986 a new competition, the Tri-Counties Rugby League, was established. Four teams competed in its first year, three from Canada, and one from the U.S., the New York-based Adirondacks club.[3] Later, the Canada national rugby league team was formed, and participated semi-regularly in international competition from 1987–2000. The team competed in the 2000 Emerging Nations Tournament, but afterward went dormant as the governing body folded. Thereafter Canada's rugby league participation dwindled, though there were two regional rugby league nines tournaments as recently as 2003, one in Ontario and one in Manitoba.[3]

In 2010, a new organization, Canada Rugby League, was formed with the intention of reviving the national team and building a new domestic competition. Under the CRL the national team played international games several times in 2010, including the American National Rugby League's annual "War at the Shore" event, hosting the Colonial Cup, and competing in the Rugby League Atlantic Cup in Jacksonville, Florida.[4][5] Two domestic teams, the Toronto City Saints and the St. Catharines Bobcats, were established, and are set to be joined by two new teams in 2011. Super League teams St Helens R.F.C. and Salford City Reds have also formed partnerships with Canadian rugby league,[6][7] and Rugby League Review, one of the leading rugby league magazines around the world came on board as a sponsor of Canadian rugby league.[8] Setanta Sports will broadcast rugby league matches in Canada.[9] Canada won its first international match of the revival era on July 31, 2011 defeating Jamaica 40-10 in Markham, Ontario.

In 2016, the 2025 Rugby League World Cup was jointly awarded to Canada and the United States.

In 2017, Toronto Wolfpack began play in League 1, the third tier of the British/European rugby league system.[10] They won the League 1 title in their inaugural season, earning promotion to the second-level Championship for 2018.[11]

In June 2019, a group of 19 "older" Rugby League players and 2 supporters made up from around the world, toured to Toronto in Canada to introduce "Masters Rugby League" to the Canadians. Masters is a modified version of the game of Rugby League and players must be over 35 years of age to play. With no upper age limit, older and players of any ability are all welcome. The Masters format was first played in New Zealand in 1992. By 2004 it was introduced to Australia and to the UK in 2008, France in 2017 and Ireland in early 2019).

Masters players from traditional Rugby League areas such as Lancashire, Cumbria and Yorkshire joined with players from the less traditional Rugby League areas, such as: The Midlands, London, The South East and The North East of England. With two players Joining from the Southern Hemisphere, (New Zealand and Australia) the tour party was a truly International mix of players from ages 36 to 77, touring under the name “South London Silverbacks Masters”. So with support from The Toronto WolfPack, and some very hardworking and dedicated Rugby League volunteers in Canada, who managed to form two teams as opposition (Toronto Wolfpack Masters and the Ontario Greybeards Masters), the tour went ahead.

Two Masters games were played at the Lamport Stadium in Toronto and the tourists were also guests at Barrie High School, spending the day helping Toronto Wolfpack staff with a Rugby League skills day. This tour has “Sown the seeds of Masters RL” in Canada and thanks go to all who volunteered, helped and sponsored the three teams involved. Hopefully Rugby League, Masters and all the other variants of Rugby League will be introduced and/or continue to grow in popularity in Toronto, Canada and North America.

Club competition

There are currently three (known) domestic competitions in Canada, the Ontario Rugby League Competition, the British Columbia Rugby League Competition and the Alberta Rugby League Competition.

In addition to fully domestic leagues, the Toronto Wolfpack began play in the British rugby league system in 2017, initially in League 1. They were promoted to the Championship at the end of the season. After two years in the Championship they were promoted to Super League at the end of the 2019 season. A second Canadian team, the Ottawa Aces, were added to the RFL League system, starting in League 1 in 2021.

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See also

References
  1. http://www.canadarugbyleague.com/history/index.php?pageid=1000019
  2. http://www.canadarugbyleague.com/history/index.php?pageid=1000018
  3. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2011-01-01. Retrieved 2011-01-26.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  4. "The World of Rugby League". rleague.com. Archived from the original on 2010-04-09. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  5. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2010-06-28. Retrieved 2010-09-18.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  6. "Salford and Canada team up". Canadarugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  7. "St Helens team up with Canada Rugby League". Canadarugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  8. "Rugby League Review come on as major sponsor". Canadarugbyleague.com. Archived from the original on 2011-07-08. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  9. "Setanta Sports to bring NRL to Canada". Canadarugbyleague.com. Retrieved 2010-08-01.
  10. http://www.loverugbyleague.com/news_21086-off-the-record-rugby-league-transfer-gossip-25.html
  11. "Toronto Wolfpack win rugby league promotion despite Barrow's best efforts". National Post. The Canadian Press. September 9, 2017. Retrieved September 17, 2017.
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