The Toronto Wolfpack had their way with the undermanned Barrow Raiders on Saturday, cruising to a 64-0 rugby league victory to stretch their winning streak to 14 in the second-tier Betfred Championship.
The table-topping Wolfpack (16-1-1) have not lost in league play since Feb. 25 when they dropped a 47-16 decision to the London Broncos.
The Raiders (5-10-3) dressed just 14 players instead of the normal 17 – meaning they had just one on the interchange bench instead of four – due to injuries, work commitments and border issues. And that one-man bench disappeared for a good chunk of the first half when Barrow halfback Ryan Johnston went off injured during Toronto’s first possession.
The lack of support off the visitors’ bench took its toll. Toronto led 16-0 midway through the first half and 24-0 at the break, rocking Barrow ball-carriers with some big hits.
Toronto turned on the try tap in the second half, scoring twice in the first five minutes to increase the lead to 36-0 and adding five more tries before the carnage was complete.
The Raiders kept at it but were simply outnumbered and outmatched.
A downpour that dried up just before kickoff did little for the announced attendance of 5,287 at Lamport Stadium, although the sun came out early in the first half. They saw a choppy game, especially in the second half, with more than its share of mistakes.
Toronto got two tries from Blake Wallace, Nick Rawsthorne and Liam Kay and singles from Gareth O’Brien, Cory Paterson, Bob Beswick, Matty Russell, Adam Sidlow and Andy Ackers.
O’Brien booted eight conversions.
Toronto and Barrow played to an 8-8 draw in Round 2 in England on Feb. 11. The Wolfpack won 16-12 when they met at Barrow on April 22 in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup.
Barrow was behind the eight-ball from the get-go this time against the fully professional Wolfpack. One player was refused entry to Canada before he boarded the plane.
“It’s easy getting in with no (criminal) convictions but half of rugby league have got convictions,” said Barrow coach Paul Crarey.
Another player had to stay home when he couldn’t get anyone to cover him at work.
Chris Fleming, who retired from pro rugby midway through last season, and Ben Garner, who has played for the British amateur side, joined the Raiders on an emergency basis for the trip.
Rowley, who counts Crarey as a friend, has sent wingers Jonny Pownall and Ryan Burroughs to the Raiders on loan, although neither was eligible to play against their former team.
Barrow, which arrived in eighth place in the 12-team Championship, dressed 15 players last week in a 52-4 loss to Featherstone Rovers.
Toronto was missing Ashton Sims (calf), Jack Bussey (foot), Gary Wheeler (quad) and Adam Higson (collarbone). Beswick returned from a two-game suspension.
Toronto’s only other loss this season came in the Ladbrokes Challenge Cup when it was thumped 66-10 by Super League side Warrington Wolves.