London Broncos - assessing their credentials of being Super League’s 12th club

For some people, London Broncos are already viewed as a Super League club in all but name.
London's head coach: Danny Ward.
 Picture: Jonathan GawthorpeLondon's head coach: Danny Ward.
 Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe
London's head coach: Danny Ward. Picture: Jonathan Gawthorpe

No club has ever been relegated with more points than the 20 London achieved last year, their first season back among the elite since 2014.

Danny Ward’s side won an army of followers for the manner in which they attacked the competition, and their fate was sealed only after a dramatic final night of action in 2019.

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With that in mind, having been replaced then by promoted Toronto Wolfpack, it is easy to see why many think the Ealing-based club are the rightful choice to take over their rivals’ place after the Canadian outfit’s much-publicised demise left Super League needing a 12th team for 2021.

London are one of six Championship clubs – York City Knights, Bradford Bulls, Featherstone Rovers, Leigh Centurions and Toulouse Olympique being the others – who have applied.

Based against set criteria, a seven-strong panel will decide who prevails with a decision expected in around a week’s time.

However, Ward, the charismatic Yorkshireman who also worked as one of Wayne Bennett’s Great Britain assistants last autumn, says London will not be making a song and dance about their credentials.

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“We’ve done our application and left it at that,” said the 40-year-old, who, as a forceful prop, won the 2004 Grand Final with Leeds Rhinos before spending time in the capital with Harlequins, who later reverted to Broncos.

“The last I heard it wasn’t getting voted on on Twitter or anything so we can just let the application do the talking. What will be will be.

“Every club is different; everyone has their positives and other things that go against them as we have – we’re not perfect – but there are some big things that go in our favour.”

For instance, Ward is confident his squad are instantly ready to compete in Super League given many of those who competed so hard last time are still around and were encouraged by the experience.

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“A lot of it surely has got to be based on what you have done on the field and over the last two years we got promoted from the Championship and then won 10 games in Super League,” he added.

“That was a similar situation as to what we’re in now; we found out last minute and obviously after winning the ‘Million Pound Game’ in October you have to work quickly.

“You have a three-month pre-season to get your squad ready and bring in new players.

“We did remarkably well. We’re confident we can handle that step up.

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“We were hoping to get promoted on the field this year with the squad we have and I’m confident in every one of our players being able to play at Super League level as we did last time.”

London could also point at the merits of having a rugby league presence in the capital, especially in terms of gaining media attention, while, after being continually backed by millionaire owner David Hughes, they have been able to retain a full-time squad since demotion.

Moreover, if expansion is high on the panel’s wish-list, Broncos tick that box, too, although some would argue their facilities at Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club are not up to scratch and their following is not as great as some of their rivals.

London have had success bringing juniors through, though, with Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook, Mike McMeeken, Tony Clubb and Dan Sarginson all going on to play for England.

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On that, Ward continued: “The whole community game down here is doing well. It’s such a vast area and we’ve worked hard on giving players a pathway to develop into London Broncos.

“David Hughes invests heavily in the scholarship and academy programme which should be the goal shouldn’t it?

“It is one of our many plus points. But now we’ll wait and see.”

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