RUGBY league new boys Toronto Wolfpack were miffed when they realised three months ago they could not share the Bulls' training facilities.

Yet the Canadian club, who need a northern base for their blocks of four away matches in Kingstone Press League One next season, are now happy that arrangement at Tong did not come to fruition as they believe they have unearthed a special venue in their new English headquarters at Brighouse.

A Bradford spokesman stated in late September: "Despite the endeavours of both clubs to reach an agreement which would have been financially beneficial for both, it became obvious that the proposal was impractical and it would be difficult to form a working relationship.

"The club would like to state that the decision was made amicably and we will continue to support Toronto in their efforts to establish themselves."

Instead the Wolfpack played a trial match at Russell Way two Saturdays ago in front of a record crowd of over 1,000 against a youthful Brighouse Rangers team.

Toronto coach Paul Rowley said of Brighouse: "We were disappointed when we were kicked out at the training ground in Bradford because we had set our hearts on it – but we might just have stumbled on a gold mine coming here.

"Brighouse were founder members of the Rugby League and this has helped put them back on the map. I think they see the benefits of being associated with us and we clearly see the benefits of being associated with them.

"We can help them on a coaching and recruitment front, to assist them in building an amateur club worthy of the superb facilities they have here. We want it to be a true partnership and not just take-take on our part."

The Wolfpack team of Canadians, Americans and Jamaicans won the trial match 28-26 and Rowley stressed: "We have witnessed the start of something new – the day that Toronto played their first-ever game was here at Brighouse.

"It is a great day for rugby league with a really enthusiastic crowd. No-one came with any expectations, so there was no pressure, yet no-one has left this game unhappy.

"The result didn't matter, although the drama of the win is a fitting end to a special week for a bunch of guys who came together as individuals at the beginning and will be going home as a team and as a group.

"We have learned about them all week and the game showed up a few frailties in some people while exposing a few hidden qualities in others."

Toronto director of rugby Brian Noble, a Northern and Bulls legend, spoke of the untapped talent across the Atlantic.

Noble said: "There are a lot of athletes in North America looking for this opportunity – we could have brought another 80 like we have seen. If we can get them to realise that there is a career path for them over here, it opens up so many possibilities.

"I'll talk to anyone about the benefits of having new athletes and a new fan base coming into the game. We can't carry on the way we are going and retracting back into the M62 corridor."