By Brian Lowe, (Photo Credit: Carolyn Ritchie)
The planned cross-border exhibition game between the Chicago Stockyarders and Ontario Rugby League (ORL) has been scrapped.
Organisers had no choice other than to cancel the match as there were just too many obstacles to overcome.
“Ontario couldn’t get enough guys to travel to Chicago and we couldn’t get enough guys to travel to Ontario,” says Midwest Rugby League (MWRL) CEO Mike Featherstone.
“No worries, we’ll move on. We are still working on games for August, but it’s been tough to attract opposition to travel to Chicago this year.”
ORL president Ryan Murray echoed those sentiments, saying in the end they couldn’t get it done. The good news for the Canadian provincial side though is that they may end up playing a game against the Northern Virginia Eagles instead.
“We are not going to be playing the Chicago Stockyarders as our schedules clash,” he says. “However, we are very close to sorting out a squad to head to Virginia.”
NOVA plays in the USA Rugby League (USARL) North Conference. August 24 has been penciled in as the tentative date.
Murray says training for the Ontario squad starts this Sunday, July 21, at SATEC @ WA Porter School, 40 Fairfax Cres, Scarborough, Ontario. Any interested players are encouraged to email the ORL at ontariorugbyleague@gmail.com
