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Last Updated: 13/05/19 8:22am
Toronto Wolfpack will aim to sign rugby union players from this year’s World Cup ahead of their anticipated promotion to Super League in 2020.
The ambitious Wolfpack, who are four points clear at the top of the Betfred Championship, have been linked with a move for Sonny Bill Williams.
Owner David Argyle admits he would love to see the 33-year-old New Zealander in a Toronto jersey next season.
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Argyle reveals the club have identified ten “superstar names” who might become available at the end of the year and says director of rugby Brian Noble and head coach Brian McDermott have already begun to examine potential targets.
“The two Brians are speaking with all of the agents to look at who becomes available for next year,” said Argyle.
“I don’t choose who is recruited, but my view is that it works well for the club to have some of the top names of rugby playing for the Wolfpack.
“I personally would love to see Sonny Bill Williams in a Toronto Wolfpack shirt.
“Obviously it comes down to what both Brians say and how it works out and, of course, it comes down to what Sonny Bill says.
“But there are ten really big superstar names out there and we would love to have at least one of those in the squad for next year.
“There are a few other rugby union players who, after the World Cup, will probably have achieved everything they can in union and might want to come back or jump across to rugby league.
“I think that’s going to be really exciting, if we are able to secure one or more of those players.”
Williams, who was a member of the Kiwis team that lost to the Kangaroos in the 2013 Rugby League World Cup final at Old Trafford, is aiming to win a third Rugby Union World Cup with the All Blacks in Japan in the autumn.
Meanwhile, Argyle says he is delighted with the progress of the Canadian team, who are firm favourites to gain promotion this time, after narrowly missing out to London Broncos in 2018.
The Wolfpack have won all but one of their 13 games so far and will seek to avenge their only defeat when they take on second-placed Toulouse at the annual Summer Bash in Blackpool on Saturday.
Almost 18,000 fans have attended Toronto’s two home games so far and Argyle says the club remain on target to beam matches into 140m homes worldwide.
“I see this growing snowball coming down the hill, as people become more aware of the Wolfpack and rugby,” he said.
“People get hooked and our objective is to get as many people into the stadium as possible, so that they have a taste of how exciting a day out it can be. We are getting very good return rates.
“We’re really happy with the progress that we’re making.”
