Is 14 the magic number? Promoted trio make instant Super League impact
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<p>Decision to expand top flight has seemed justified with Bradford, Toulouse and York grabbing early wins against established rivals</p><p>When the Super League fixtures were released late last year, it was hard not to be drawn to this weekend. <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2026/mar/01/leeds-maika-sivo-stars-in-demolition-of-hull-kr-in-las-vegas">Clearly the headline attraction</a> was Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR squaring off in Las Vegas but there was al
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Is 14 the magic number? Promoted trio make instant Super League impact Decision to expand top flight has seemed justified with Bradford, Toulouse and York grabbing early wins against established rivals W hen the Super League fixtures were released late last year, it was hard not to be drawn to this weekend. Clearly the headline attraction was Leeds Rhinos and Hull KR squaring off in Las Vegas but there was also another game that carried immense intrigue. Super League’s decision last year to expand to 14 teams was met with scepticism, to say the least. The general feeling was that there simply was not enough quality in the Championship, and with Salford Red Devils going into liquidation due to financial problems, the notion of three second‑tier teams coming up at once did not exactly scream of excitement. Which is what made this first meeting between two of those sides one to watch. Bradford and Toulouse were third and second respectively in the Championship last year, behind the other promoted team, York . So it was not difficult to imagine that three weekends in, this could have been the first opportunity for any promoted side to win a game. How wrong those critics have proved to be. This was Bradford’s day as the former Super League champions deservedly defeated Toulouse 18-6 to ensure all three promoted teams have won two of their first three matches. The Bulls are now fourth, with Toulouse and York sixth and seventh respectively. To anyone who suggests it is not a surprise, even the coach who has masterminded one of these fine starts is shocked. “I think we’re all surprised,” Kurt Haggerty, the Bradford head coach, said. “Especially with us, we’ve had a short turnaround in the off-season having not been promoted until late. But I think all three have made it look like a good competition and a strong one.” The story of the three sides so far is perhaps the Bulls: fallen giants , four-time champions of Super League in the competition’s early years. Almost 9,000 fa...
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