Super League and the National Rugby League must do more to promote the World Club Challenge, according to the Sydney Roosters coach aiming to become the first manager to defend the title.
St Helens, the Super League champions, host their NRL counterparts in the 2020 challenge on Saturday but the annual debate about the competition’s prospects has emerged once again.
Trent Robinson, the Sydney coach who has repeatedly endorsed the competition’s importance, has now called on the game’s two major governing bodies to form a long-term plan. “At the end of every year the two champions get together and ask ‘are we going to play it’ instead of it being one of the major fixtures,” the Sydney coach said.
“We have to organise it each year and more needs to be done to grow this game. It’s going to be a real spectacle on the field and that’s what we’ve come here for. You’re going to see the two best teams in the world play on Saturday night, so turn up.
“It’s up to Super League and the NRL, they’re the ones that will help this take the next step via big promotion. St Helens and the Roosters can only do so much, but to create the energy around the game it has to come from those. This [match] should have been sold out a month ago given the way these teams will play but it doesn’t gather momentum until this week.
“To play the World Club Challenge should be considered a privilege and we certainly take it as that. It plays such an important part in setting up your season and giving you the opportunity to play for – and potentially win – a title.”
Mark Percival could make a surprise return on Saturday despite being pencilled in for shoulder surgery 48 hours later. The centre left the field during the Saints’ 19-0 defeat against Warrington but he may make a one-off return before surgery on Monday.
“It’s been in the media that he needs surgery and that happens next week,” the St Helens coach, Kristian Woolf, said. We’ve put him through contact and he held up well, we’ve got to see how he pulls up but he’s certainly a chance. We wouldn’t put him out there if thought we were putting his health at risk.”
Toronto have signed the French international Tony Gigot on a four‑week trial and he will make his debut against Warrington on Friday. However confusion surrounds Gigot’s signing. The Rugby Football League has confirmed he has signed on amateur terms, but the sport’s operational rules state amateur players can play only in reserve fixtures. The RFL has been asked for a response.
