Toronto Wolfpack to face Toulouse Olympique in rugby league playoffs

TORONTO – The Toronto Wolfpack will face Toulouse Olympique in a promotion playoff semifinal after the French side beat York City Knights 44-6 Saturday.

The transatlantic rugby league team will host Toulouse on Sept. 22 at Lamport Stadium with the winner advancing to the Oct. 5 Grand Final for a place in the top-tier Super League.

The loser plays the following weekend for a second chance to make the final.

Toulouse handed Toronto its only defeat of the regular season, a 46-16 decision in France on March 6. The Wolfpack have not lost since, reeling off 21 straight wins — including two over Toulouse (42-14 and 28-16).

Toronto (26-1-0) had a first-round playoff bye by virtue of finishing atop the Betfred Championship regular-season standings. Toulouse (20-7-0) was second and York City (19-7-1) third.

Fourth-place Leigh Centurions (18-9-0) hosts fifth-place Featherstone Rovers (17-10-0) on Sunday. The winner will meet York City to see who advances to play the Toronto-Toulouse-loser for a place in the Grand Final.

Toronto fell at the last promotion hurdle last season, losing 4-2 to London Broncos in the Million Pound Game. The Broncos (10-9-0) turned heads in the Super League but were relegated with a loss to Wakefield on Friday.