This Sunday sees the annual clash between the Super League champions and the NRL champions for the World Club Challenge with Grand Final winners Wigan Warriors entertaining their Australian counterparts Sydney Roosters at the DW Stadium.
This one-off match-up alternates yearly between Australia and the UK with this year’s clash being a repeat of the 2014 World Club Challenge, won by the Roosters. Wigan have home advantage this time, however, and should have the edge in fitness. The Super League season may have just begun but it is close season in the NRL.
Wigan have won more World Club Challenges than any other side. They were successful only two years ago, beating Cronulla Sharks on home soil, and had won in three of six previous attempts. The Roosters are among a number of clubs who have won it three times. At present, the Super League just hold the advantage over the NRL in World Club Challenges, having won 13 compared to 12.
World Club Challenge Past Results
The Roosters have travelled over with a 23-man squad but there is no Latrell Mitchell. The centre was instrumental in his side’s run to the 2018 NRL Telstra Premiership and Trent Robinson’s team are not the same force without his speed and strength, though will have the ever-improving James Tedesco in their starting line-up and also Joseph Manu.
Wigan didn’t get off the best of starts in this year’s Super League, receiving a two-point deduction for breaching the salary cap before losing their opener at St Helens. But Adrian Lam’s side got back on track against Leeds Rhinos, though could also be without their first-choice centre Dan Sarginson against Sydney. The boot of former Leeds full-back Zak Hardaker is usually worth a few points, however.
Wigan Warriors v Sydney Roosters Prediction
Only one Super League team has won the World Club Challenge in the last six years but that was Wigan Warriors and they probably have a better chance of success than Ladbrokes’ odds of 13/5 would suggest. The Roosters did top the NRL table in Regular Season last year, however, as well as winning the Grand Final so are the dominant force in southern hemisphere club rugby at present and may just have the class to edge what should be a high-scoring affair.