World Club Challenge Feb 17th

["gaz"]

https://www.skysports.com/rugby-leag...club-challenge

Wigan Warriors will take on the Sydney Roosters in next year's World Club Challenge at the DW Stadium.

The game, which will take place on February 17 and be broadcast live on Sky Sports, sees the Warriors try to end a spell of Australian dominance.

Wigan's 22-6 win over the Cronulla Sharks at the DW Stadium in 2016 is the only success recorded by the Super League champion since 2012.

This year's match ended in a one-sided 38-4 win for the Melbourne Storm over the Leeds Rhinos, and there were also wide-margin victories for South Sydney and North Queensland in 2015 and 2016 respectively.

Sydney last won the World Club Challenge in 2014, in a repeat of next year's game, when they beat the Warriors 36-14.

Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan said: "The World Club Challenge is a special competition for the Wigan club and with a game against Sydney Roosters we have two of rugby league's most iconic institutions facing one another.

"Seeing the cherry-and-white of Wigan up against the tricolour of the Roosters in front of a packed stadium on a Sunday will be a great spectacle. With the calibre of players on show from both teams, it should be a great advert for our sport.

["gaz"]

Sorry

I see thread already started

[stephenj]

please tell me its not just on foxtel?

[stephenj]

be even better and fairer if it was played in australia every second year?

[stephenj]

or even new zealand or pacific islands?

[The Axe]

Like idea of pacific nations

[stephenj]

the heat in fiji would knock the poms for a six!

[zac]

This means Latrell won't be available for Aborigines v Maoris.

["gaz"]

https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rugby-league/wigan-warriors/lachlan-lam-s-sydney-roosters-debut-could-be-against-his-dad-adrian-s-wigan-warriors-1-9577861

Adrian Lam's son has a "chance" of making his Sydney Roosters debut against Wigan Warriors in the World Club Challenge.

Coach Trent Robinson confirmed the 20-year-old will be in their squad which flies out of Australia this weekend.
Lam Jnr, a halfback who has represented Papua New Guinea but has yet to figure in the NRL, was targeted by Wigan for a loan spell for this season.

But the Roosters kept hold of him and Robinson confirmed he may figure in the highly-anticipated DW Stadium showdown on Sunday, February 17.

"We're just finalising our squad, and I think Lachy will come over," said Robinson during a media conference call last night.

"We're bring a squad of 23 but that will include (injured ex-Leeds winger) Ryan Hall, so 22 are available."

Asked whether Lam has a chance of playing, Robinson replied: "He's in the 22, so he's a chance of playing."

The touring party will not include Kangaroos centre Latrell Mitchell after he opted to turn out for the Indigenous All Stars against New Zealand Maori on February 15 in Melbourne - two days before the WCC in Wigan.

Mitchell was forced to choose between the two and decided to represent his family and Indigenous heritage, with the support of former Catalans coach Robinson.

He is the only top-line player not available for the annual showdown of the NRL and Super League champions. "We left the decision up to Latrell, he's a very proud Indiginous man, and his chance to represent his culture was his choice and we'll support that," said Robinson. "It was a tough decision for him but there was only ever a right decision for him."

The Roosters squad will first visit France, where they will train with Championship outfit Toulouse in Paris and give the players some life experiences before relocating to Wigan midweek.

Robinson added: "We've all spent a lot of time in Manchester and Leeds, a lot of teams go to London, but we wanted to offer that opportunity to Toulouse to train with us as well as do some visits of the war memorials at the Somme to offer them a life experience. "It's not about footy, it's about understanding the way we get to live the way we live, and the sacrifices others made."

Read more at: https://www.wigantoday.net/sport/rug...iors-1-9577861

[Jacks Fur Coat]

So Keary is playing?

[stephenj]

yes keary is in just not latrell

[Jacks Fur Coat]

yes keary is in just not latrell

Thanks Steve I had assumed he was unavailable
...good news!

[Insider]

Any odds up yet Jack? I'm currently in one of those sad regions of the world where online gambling is prohibited.. If it's more than 1.20 I'll probably have a decent plunge and repay myself all these $ 25 beers I'm drinking

[Jacks Fur Coat]

Any odds up yet Jack? I'm currently in one of those sad regions of the world where online gambling is prohibited.. If it's more than 1.20 I'll probably have a decent plunge and repay myself all these $ 25 beers I'm drinking

Only market I could find was Sportsbet at the moment:
Easts $1.36
Wigan $3.16

[Thirteen]

We should be paying $1.01