Sky Live: Leigh vs Toronto: Wolfpack put perfect start on the line against Centurions
Leigh Centurions host Toronto Wolfpack live on Sky Sports Arena on Sunday, coverage starts at 3pm
Last Updated: 22/02/19 5:54pm
Toronto Wolfpack travel to face Leigh Centurions in the Betfred Championship this weekend, live on Sky Sports Arena, looking to preserve their perfect start to the season.
The Wolfpack currently sit top of the Betfred Championship after winning all three of their opening games, with Sheffield Eagles the only other side to boast that record.
Leigh know they are coming up against one of the promotion favourites after the transatlantic rugby league team were pipped by London Broncos in the Million Pound Game last October.
The Centurions will have to be wary of the threat from former Warrington Wolves winger Matty Russell, who has scored five tries in the opening three fixtures of this season, but head coach John Duffy will be confident following the dramatic 29-20 win over Featherstone last time out.
Leigh trailed 14-10 at the break, but a rousing second-half display inspired by Martyn Ridyard sealed a second win of the campaign.
Head coach Duffy said: "We're really looking forward to the game this weekend. The boys have been training really hard, after a good result against Featherstone.
"We're looking forward to playing against the best in the league this week, and we know it's going to be a massive challenge for us.
"We're going to need all the support we can get against a really classy outfit in Toronto."
St Helens head coach Justin Holbrook is delighted with how the club's dual-registration partnership is currently working with Leigh.
Jack Ashworth, Matty Costello, Danny Richardson and Aaron Smith have all featured this season for the Centurions, and Holbrook said: "We would ideally want a reserves competition for these players to take part in, but the dual-reg partnership with Leigh is our best option to get players who aren't in the 17, much needed game time.
"Players should be playing as much as they can. Over in Australia, there are plenty of good players who aren't in the 17 who have to play games for their feeder clubs. How else can you earn your way back in?
"The Championship is a good standard and it will certainly keep players sharp when they aren't able to make it into our starting 17."
Meanwhile, the Toronto Wolfpack have not given up hope of signing New Zealand international Sonny Bill Williams with majority shareholder David Argyle admitting that "active negotiations" have taken place with the player's agent.
Speaking this week, Argyle said: "The club continues to have a view that we want to attract the best rugby talent to come and play with us. We look at the best talent in the world - Sonny Bill is one of those talents.
"In 2018 there was an outreach by the club to Sonny Bill Williams' agent for him to come here. We want to secure one of the top five rugby players in the world to come to Toronto. That continues to be our ambition. We'll do everything possible to get one of them here."
Leigh 19-man squad: Iain Thornley, Stefan Marsh, Martyn Ridyard, Josh Woods, Tom Spencer, Micky Higham, Sam Brooks, Toby Adamson, Andy Thornley, Luke Adamson, Joe Cator, Nick Gregson, Declan O'Donnell, Mitch Cox, Ben Sims, Luke Douglas, Matty Costello, Jack Ashworth, Danny Richardson.
Toronto 19-man squad (expected): Gareth O'Brien, Matty Russell, Chase Stanley, Ricky Leutele, Joe Mellor, Josh McCrone, Adam Sidlow, Ashton Sims, Andrew Dixon, Bodene Thompson, Jon Wilkin, Andy Ackers, Darcy Lussick, Tom Olbison, Blake Wallace, Gadwin Springer, Gary Wheeler, Adam Higson, Jacob Emmitt.
