Toronto Wolfpack loan North Americans Ngawati, Burroughs to London Skolars

TORONTO — The Toronto Wolfpack have loaned Victoria’s Quinn Ngawati and American Ryan Burroughs to the London Skolars of League 1 for the remainder of the 2018 season.

The transatlantic rugby league team had been looking to find a place for the two North Americans to develop their game.

The Wolfpack, in their second season, are playing in the second-tier Betfred Championship after winning promotion from League 1.

“This is a great opportunity for these boys,” Wolfpack coach Paul Rowley said in a statement. “The opportunity to move down a level to play some regular rugby is often a natural step in progressing many young players’ careers and it’ll be no different with these two.”

The 18-year-old Ngawati (pronounced Now-r-tee) made his debut for the Wolfpack last June against the Gloucester All Golds at Lamport Stadium. He is the first Canadian-born player to play pro rugby league according to Canada Rugby League, the governing body of the sport in Canada.

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The six-foot-four 212-pound forward, who made two first-team appearances last season, survived the Wolfpack’s tryouts prior to their inaugural season.

His father is from New Zealand with Maori roots — a background that is proudly illustrated via the tattoo on the back of Quinn’s calf. Ngawati Sr., played rugby league so Quinn grew up immersed in both union and league. His mother is Canadian, meeting her future husband in New Zealand.

Burroughs, a 26-year-old native of Virginia, played for the Parramatta Eels subsidiary team Wentworthville in Australia in 2016 before making 11 appearances for the Wolfpack. The winger has been slowed by injury since playing for the U.S. in the Rugby League World Cup in the off-season.

He was a running back and wide receiver at high school in Manassas, Va. Some four years ago, just as he was ending a three-year stint in the U.S. army, he was convinced by a friend to try rugby union with a local club team.

That same friend then got Burroughs to try rugby league. He was instantly hooked.

Neither player has seen action for the Wolfpack this season.

Toronto (3-1-1) plays at the Sheffield Eagles (0-4-0) on Sunday.

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press