Just how significant is it that we're at Headingley for tonight's game?

Leeds fan or not, it's an atmospheric venue.

Teams are expected soon...

Iestyn Harris
Former Great Britain international on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

Andrew Aloia
BBC Sport Online

"It’s a British holiday, a pre-season jolly abroad, a warm-up match against chaps who fancy themselves as rugby league players. The World Club Challenge is meaningless…"

None of these statements would ever be uttered by North Queensland Cowboys, a side that up until last season had enjoyed a largely mediocre existence punctuated by a year here and there where they were the nearly men and hard-luck story of the NRL.

Image source, get

North Queensland, based in Townsville, represents a region more than three-and-a-half times the area of England with a population less than half of Birmingham. This is a club that is feverously backed by miners in Mount Isa, mechanics in Mareeba, fishermen in the Torres Strait, cane growers in Home Hill and everywhere in between. The point is; the chance for the club to be anointed the world’s best is something that resonates with its passionate supporters.

Johnathan Thurston, Matt Scott and Co. stride out onto the Headingley pitch the same side that beat Brisbane Broncos in golden point extra time to clinch their maiden title. The Cowboys have a job to finish in Leeds today, and that is to be the undisputed club world champions.

We're nearly off for tonight's climax to the World Club Series.

Lots have been said about how significant this competition is to the NRL teams, so we asked our Queenslander colleague Andrew Aloia for his insider's view with regards to the Cowboys...

Image source, Getty Images

England's forwards no doubt breathed a sigh of relief last autumn when New Zealand back-rower Jason Taumalolo withdrew from the Test series through injury.

After all, he made the fifth-most metres, was in the top 15 for tackle breaks and runs in the 2015 NRL season.

Taumalolo is direct, a wrecking ball. Some back-rowers are like pumped-up half-backs but this guy is a pure ball-carrying bulldozer with an offload. No wonder NFL clubs in America are believed to be taking a look at him for 2017.

Iestyn Harris
Former Great Britain international on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra

With the bottom four from last season's Super League entering the Challenge Cup early, the decision has been taken for them to play their outstanding fixtures this weekend.

Salford were impressive in their win against Widnes, ending the Vikings 100% record despite a fightback by Denis Betts' side.

Read the report here.

Meanwhile two sides still awaiting a first victory of the season slugged it out at Craven Park (sorry, KC Lightstream Stadium) and it was Wakefield Trinity* who came out on top, edging Hull KR despite conceding three tries to two.

Here's the report from that one.

*Sorry but I'm a traditionalist. It's always Trinity for me.

BBC Radio 5 live sports extra and BBC Radio Leeds have radio commentary of tonight's game at Headingley.

You can select your preference by toggling the Live Coverage button at the top of this page.

Two players involved in previous World Club Series fixtures this weekend have offered their best wishes to the Rhinos this evening...

On a side note, Wigan fear that hooker Michael McIlorum could be out for as long as six months after suffering a serious injury in last night's defeat by Brisbane Broncos.

Wishing Michael a speedy recovery.

Leeds Rhinos have gone for a young halves combination in the absence of Danny McGuire, with Jordan Lilley and Liam Sutcliffe combining.

Tom Briscoe's injury at Widnes gives Ash Handley a chance to impress on the right wing, while Brett 'Frogger' Delaney deputises for Carl Ablett, another casualty of last weekend's defeat.

Results so far won't have made pretty viewing or reading for Leeds Rhinos, given the circumstances they find themselves in going into tonight's game. They've lost both of their Super League matches in 2016.

The exit of three significant players in Kevin Sinfield, Jamie Peacock and Kylie Leuluai has been compounded by injuries to influential half-back Danny McGuire, winger Tom Briscoe, back-rowers Carl Ablett and Jamie Jones-Buchanan as well as young full-back Ashton Golding.

One impressive addition over the winter was England back-rower Brett Ferres, who admits it has been tough at Headingley.

"We've lost a few leaders in the past and now it is time for the boys to stand up," Ferres told BBC Radio Leeds.

"Obviously me coming into a fresh environment, I'm a senior player and I want to take the responsibility on. I look forward to the challenge."

Image source, SWPIX,COM

As expected, the NRL premiers name the same 17 that brought them the big prize back at Suncorp last October.

Lots of quality in that line-up, Thurston, Morgan, Taumalolo, Coote, Feldt... but for me the real danger is Jake Granville. Quick play-the-balls are his speciality. Watch him go!

Image source, Getty Images

North Queensland are by no means a one-man team but there is an inevitable focus on a player who unquestionably will join the list of rugby league's "Immortals" - Johnathan Thurston.

The 32-year-old has won two premierships, countless Origin series with Queensland and a World Cup with Australia.

He has shone to win Dally M medals for the best player the NRL can offer, was the player of the tournament at the 2013 World Cup and picked up his third Golden Boot for world player of the year for 2015.

Success tonight would tick the final box.

"It'd be huge and would mean plenty to me," Thurston told BBC Sport.

"It's been such a privilege to play at this level for as long as I have, and although you never earmark 'x' number of premierships, or Origins, or World Cups, you always want to win every competition you're involved in.

"So, to win this World Club Challenge match against Leeds would be fantastic, not so much to 'win a set' but to be able to say we, as a team, were successful in an event in which we competed in for the first time."

Two defeats from two for Super League mean that the National Rugby League has retained the World Club Series crown for a second year in a row.

However, tonight is the big one. The test of the two champion sides from the northern and southern hemispheres going head to head in the World Club Challenge.

Leeds - three times winners - can add this prize to last season's treble triumph and restore some pride for the English game after the maulings of St Helens and Wigan in the last two days.

Standing in their way are North Queensland Cowboys, making their first appearance as premiers following 2015's maiden NRL premiership.

The ingredients are mouthwatering. England expects, Rhinos.

Image source, swpix.com

Apologies to Cowboys co-captain Matt Scott, but there was less of a 'Little and Large' look about Rob Burrow and Johnathan Thurston...