York Knights not giving up Super League hopes despite Grand Final defeat

Disappointed York Knights boss Mark Applegarth is refusing to give up hope Super League rugby next year, despite the 10-8 defeat by Toulouse Olympique in today’s Championship Grand Final.

York had won their previous 20 games in all competitions – including the 1895 Cup final at Wembley – and topped the table by two points from Toulouse, but came up agonisingly short in the title decider.

Though they scored the Grand Final’s only two tries, five penalty goals by Toulouse’s former Wigan Warriors scrum-half Jake Shorrocks meant it was the French side’s day.

Both teams now face an 11-day wait to hear if they will be among the 14 teams in Super League next year.

The top 12 on the IMG rankings will secure a place, along with two sides chosen by an independent panel, based on factors including finance, sustainability and their prospects of being competitive on the pitch.

“Up to the powers that be” – York Knights boss on Super League chances

Grand Final victory earned Toulouse a quarter of an IMG point, putting them in the driving seat for an automatic place in the elite competition, but Applegarth insisted: “I said pre-match I thought both teams deserved to be at the top level and that opinion has not changed.

“That’s up to the powers that be. It’s announced in a week or so so we are all waiting for that now.”
Speaking in his post-match press conference, Applegarth had no complaints about the result and refused to criticise referee Tom Grant who was booed off the field by angry York fans at the end.

He reflected: “It stings, but congratulations to Toulouse, I thought they were worthy winners after 80 minutes.

“Fair play to them, they capitalised on the errors we made and our ill-discipline. There’s no complaints there, we are going to have to suck it up.”

He added: “It’s a tough one, but ultimately I am proud of the group and how we defended. Not conceding a try probably hurts a bit more, but ultimately it is a lesson for us in the importance of keeping our discipline.

“I thought Toulouse played a really clinical game, I can’t remember them making an error.

“They put us in difficult positions and ultimately capitalised on our mistakes. We defended those errors, but ultimately the ill-discipline cost us. We’ll dust ourselves off and use this as fuel to move us forward.”

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