Match Preview - Wigan v Brisbane

[josie andrews]

The eagerly awaited World Club Series clash against Brisbane Broncos is finally here as the Warriors face off against their old foes in the tournament being billed as the ‘Ryder Cup of Rugby League'.

It's Super League against NRL, England against Australia as Warrington Wolves, Wigan Warriors and St Helens join forces to help topple St George Illawarra Dragons, Brisbane Broncos and South Sydney Rabbitohs.

The tie brings back great memories for many Wigan fans of the 1994 win over the Broncos in Australia, described by Head Coach Shaun Wane earlier this week as ‘one of our best wins ever'. Wane will be looking for his side to write their own little piece of history this weekend as they welcome Wayne Bennett and his Brisbane side to the DW.

Wane knows all too well the history of the World Club Competition having played in the Club's first win back in 1987 over Manly at Central Park whilst many of his players also played in last year's game against Sydney Roosters. The Wigan Coach admits his team are looking to right the wrongs of that performance this evening in front of a packed out DW Stadium.

Wigan head into the game on the back of their first win of 2015 after beating Huddersfield Giants 24-16 in last week's Super League meeting. The Broncos head into the game having lost their last pre-season game of 2015 18-6 to the North Queensland Cowboys.

Team news
George Williams and Taulima Tautai are both recalled for the Warriors after both missing out last week. Dan Sarginson looks set to make his first appearance of the season however skipper Sean O'Loughlin misses out after undergoing surgery on a knee injury. O'Loughlin is expected to be out for up to six weeks.

Having named a strong squad for the tournament Wayne Bennett has plenty of experienced campaigners in his line up including Justin Hodges, Daniel Vidot and Corey Parker.

New recruit Adam Blair, a World Cup winner in 2008 with New Zealand, will make his first appearance for the Broncos. Elsewhere, Australian international Sam Thaiday has proved his fitness after a niggling calf kept him out of last week's NRL All Stars match.

Squads
Wigan Warriors (from): Bateman, Bowen, Burgess, Charnley, Clubb, Crosby, L Farrell, C Farrell, Gelling, Hampshire, McIlorum, Patrick, Sarginson, Smith, Sutton, Tautai, J Tomkins, L. Tomkins, Williams.

Brisbane Broncos (from): Kahu, Vidot, Whitchurch, Hodges, Maranta, Milford, Hunt, Blair, McCullough, McGuire, Glenn, Thaiday, Parker, Dodds, Gavet, Ofahengaue, Nikorima, Opacic.

Previous meetings
20/07/1997 Wigan Warriors 4-30 Brisbane Broncos - JJB Stadium, 12,816
16/06/1997 Brisbane Broncos 34-0 Wigan Warriors - ANZ Stadium, 14,833
01/06/1994 Brisbane Broncos 14-20 Wigan Warriors - 54,220
30/10/1992 Wigan Warriors 8-22 Brisbane Broncos - 17,746

Wigan Warriors - previous World Club Series appearances:
2014 Wigan v Sydney Roosters: John Bateman, Matt Bowen, Joe Burgess, Josh Charnley, Dominic Crosby, Liam Farrell, Michael McIlorum, Sean O'Loughlin, Dan Sarginson & Matty Smith
2011 Wigan v St George Illawarra: Liam Farrell, Michael McIlorum & Sean O'Loughlin

Brisbane Broncos - previous World Club Series appearances
2011 St George Illawarra v Wigan: Darius Boyd & Jon Green
2010 Melbourne v Leeds: Adam Blair & Todd Lowrie
2008 Melbourne v Leeds: Adam Blair
2007 Brisbane v St Helens: Darius Boyd, Justin Hodges, Corey Parker & Sam Thaiday
2003 Sydney Roosters v St Helens: Justin Hodges

Match tickets for the game are available online [CLICK HERE] by selecting the Print@Home option, from the DW Stadium Ticket Office and Ticket Hotline on 0871 66 33 552.


http://www.wiganwarriors.com/WContent.a ... &type=news

[Stormfan]

C`mon Wigan..beat the donkeys...keep the smile off the perennial smileless one (Bennett)