Rugby League: World Club Challenge Preview
th week of the 2013 Super League season, but that wont matter to the defending champions the Leeds Rhinos, as they prepare to face NRL premiers Melbourne at Headingley Carnegie on Friday night, to decide who will be crowned the best club team on the planet. On paper, its not even a contest; Melbourne have the far stronger spine, as it is unarguably the best in the club game, housing 3 of the worlds best players in their respective positions. But we all know, sport isnt played on paper, and thats why you really cant write Leeds off for this encounter. During Brian McDermotts tenure as coach at Headingley, Leeds have had a tendency to peak for the big game, winning last years World Club Challenge 26-12 against Manly, and winning the last 2 Super League Grand Finals after finishing 5th after the weekly rounds, and also reaching last years Challenge Cup Final, although this ended in defeat to Warrington. The main battle on the night is sure to be between the two captains, Smith and Sinfield, after the latter controversially pipped the former to the Golden Boot award in January, which gained a lot of bad press in the southern hemisphere, with the Daily Telegraph in Australia going as far as describing the award as a pommie joke. Melbourne are also working to repair their still-damaged reputation, after being stripped of all their recent titles in 2010 for systematic breaches of the salary cap. This includes one of their previous meetings with the Rhinos, an 18-10 win in 2010. Although winning the NRL crown last year, the Storm will want to carry on their success, and claim the only prize that this group of players has not legitimately won. The Rhinos also have positive memories of a Melbourne visit to West Yorkshire, after recording an 11-4 at Elland Road in 2008, in a match where the aforementioned Kevin Sinfield claimed the Man of the Match award. As an added incentive for victory (as if being World Champions isnt enough), Danny Mcguire will make his 300th appearance on Friday night, and will hope to mark the landmark with a win, to add to his already impressive collection of winners medals. History is also on the side of the Rhinos, with UK based teams taking 12 of 19 WCC titles, although it could be argued that the statistic is flawed, as 16 of these clashes have been held on British soil. Whatever happens on Friday night, it promises to be a great game, with some of the best players in the world on show. I dont know why, but I feel that Leeds will use factors such as home ground advantage and the weather to good effect, so Im going to go against the bookies and tip a win for the 6-time Super League Champions. Who do you think will win? Please leave a comment below.