Wigan Warriors chairman Ian Lenagan says he sees a bright future in the World Club series, as the Warriors prepare for its second involvement in the event next year.
Wigan will again play Brisbane Broncos in the second match of the three-game series, with the flagship game Leeds’ clash against North Queensland Cowboys on the Sunday.
And Lenagan believes the Aussies are now taking the event seriously, and says it will continue to get bigger – just as Champions League has done in rival sport football.
“The World Club Series has now become a very serious event which all the leading Australian clubs want to qualify for and compete in,” Lanegan told the Warriors’ official website.
“There will no longer be any suggestion of friendly games or warm-up matches; this is now a high profile, important international club competition which will get bigger and bigger, just as European Champions League games have become in football.
“The top three NRL clubs from 2015 have qualified to compete with their equivalents in Super League and sell-outs will be the order of the day.
“This is a unique occasion for the Rugby League community to get behind all three English sides with loud and enthusiastic support and I will be leading the Wigan Board of Directors and the Wigan fans in supporting not just Wigan, but Leeds and St Helens to win the World Club Series for England.
“It’s about time England beat the Australians and we will never have a better chance with Wigan, St Helensand Leeds representing England in front of sell-out crowds following the example of the current England vs New Zealand Series.”
