We will find out who the best rugby league club side in the world is on Sunday afternoon when the Super League champions Wigan Warriors take on the NRL winners Cronulla Sharks in the World Club Challenge at the DW Stadium.
Super League sides don’t have a great recent record in this contest but after Warrington’s win over Brisbane on Saturday night hopes are high for the Cherry and Whites. Cronulla will be looking to preserve Australia’s fine recent tradition in this competition.
Wigan Warriors
Wigan warmed up for this match with an opening round Super League win over Salford last weekend. They did the damage in that match in the first half and while they were pegged back in the second half you have to think the foot came off the gas and eyes had turned to this match by then so that isn’t the concern it might be.
Shaun Wane’s men showed two years ago that they can compete with the best in the NRL when they took a star studded Brisbane Broncos side to extra time and the current crop will be out to show exactly the same here. If their forwards can get them up the field they have the back line to strike at will.
Cronulla Sharks
The Sharks won the NRL title for the first time last season and will be looking to convert that into World Club Challenge success here. Their success came from third in the regular season table and they won a couple of cliff-hangers in the playoffs which will undoubtedly serve them well should this turn into the arm wrestle many think it will.
A number of their side have spoken about how seriously the Sharks are taking this match and they landed in England a week ago when the snow was coming down so they will be used to the temperatures and the conditions by now so there are no excuses on that front for the Australian champions.
Team News
Shaun Wane has named the same squad which won at Salford last week. John Bateman is back for the match and he could feature. Joel Tomkins will be in the side.
Cronulla are without a couple of huge players for them through injury. Australian winger Valentine Holmes and Sosaia Feki are both injured while Michael Ennis’ retirement was less than ideal. Paul Gallen will skipper the side.
Betting
Whenever I’ve watched the Cronulla Sharks a feature of their play is the carries and the metres the wingers make for them and so the absence of both wingers is going to leave a huge dent in their game which I think can play into Wigan’s hands.
With those two players out there is nothing in this side for the Wigan Warriors to fear now. Wigan are very astute at defending their try line which you have to be in matches like this and with the flair and imagination of George Williams and the nous and creativity of Thomas Leuluai the Super League champions have the tools to unlock the door.
This will be a close match between two really crack hot outfits. I fancy Wigan to edge it but given the Super League’s recent record in these contests taking the home side with the eight point start is the more logical way to go.
Tips
WON – Back Wigan Warriors (+8) to beat Cronulla Sharks for a 4/10 stake at 2.10 with William Hill
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