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Toronto, Washington joining Major League Rugby

The seven-team Major League Rugby competition, which began this year, is expanding to Toronto in 2019

Teams from Toronto and Washington D.C. will join Major League Rugby over the next two seasons, organisers of the fledgling professional league confirmed on Friday. The Toronto Arrows will join the league for the 2019 season while a Washington D.C. franchise has been accepted for membership in 2020, a statement said. MLR held its first season this year with seven teams competing for the inaugural championship, which was eventually won by the Seattle Seawolves. The league will expand to nine teams in 2019 after Toronto were added as an expansion franchise following the admission of Rugby United New York. "We are thrilled to officially expand the League to Washington, D.C., and Toronto," MLR commissioner Dean Howes said. "Each team's leadership has demonstrated their ability to positively affect their community, and we look forward to watching their top-tier talent on-field." The statement said Toronto had been admitted after a successful "proof-of-concept" exhibition season which included a convincing 40-18 win over Arizona's Glendale Raptors, MLR runners-up in 2018. Toronto will be the first Canadian side admitted to MLR. MLR is the latest attempt to establish a professional rugby competition in the United States following the unsuccessful launch of ProRugby which was wound up after a single season in 2016. Most MLR players are drawn from US club teams although franchises are able to sign up to five overseas players each.