Toronto Wolfpack say stars want to join the club

The first professional trans-Atlantic sports team have demonstrated their ambition with the recent capture of Ryan Bailey, a former Grand Final winner with Leeds, and Scotland international Ryan Brierley (pictured) to add to that of cult figure Fuifui Moimoi, and will continue to sign big, according to head coach Paul Rowley.

The Kingstone Press League 1 club, who face a litmus test of their credentials when they take on Super League high-flyers Salford in the Challenge Cup on Sunday, have even been linked with a move for England twins Tom and George Burgess, which prompted a denial from their South Sydney club.

"I think that's the interesting bit," Rowley said. "If someone had said that any other League 1 club were interested in the Burgess twins, people would laugh it off but the things that we do get taken seriously.

"Whilst I won't tell you anything, the one thing you do know is we're capable of doing such things. I'll say we're capable and we will do that going forward."

Because the increased Super League salary cap applies across the English professional game, Toronto will be able to spend up to £1.9million in 2018 and sign up to two marquee players and Rowley says he and director of rugby Brian Noble are already actively recruiting.

"We said from the beginning our squad was too small so we're thickening it up," he said. "We're talking every day to different personnel.

"Nobby and I speak regularly with players who want to jump on board from all angles at all levels. It doesn't feel like a League 1 club because of the respect that we get and the interest and approaches we get from players from the top level who see how exciting it is and want to jump on board."

Brierley, signed from Huddersfield in midweek, is set to make his Wolfpack debut in the fifth-round tie at the AJ Bell Stadium, while his old club will be hoping to avoid a giant-killing act when they host Swinton.

Huddersfield's involvement at the fifth-round stage - the result of their failure to finish in Super League's top eight in 2016 - comes amid their increasingly desperate quest to avoid another relegation battle, but Australian coach Rick Stone insists the Giants will be taking their cup campaign seriously.

"It's very important, a prestigious competition which as been going for a long time," Stone said. "I always watched it as a kid. I still remember the 1985 Challenge Cup final when Brett Kenny won the Lance Todd Trophy.

"It creates big interest here and everywhere because it's got such a great tradition.

"I think every club, no matter what division they play in, would like to go as far as they can in it. Obviously the ultimate goal is to get to Wembley and I know this club has done it a few times before. It's a fair way for us right now but we've got to take the first step on Sunday.

"It's a unique competition that provides opportunities for teams right across all divisions and when a team like Swinton comes up against a Super League team, they have nothing to lose."

Elsewhere, there are all-Championship ties at Dewsbury, Whitehaven and Featherstone, who host Batley, Halifax and Oldham respectively, and a League 1 club is guaranteed to go into the hat for Tuesday's sixth-round draw, with York hosting Barrow.