World Club Series: Jon Wilkin says Super League must show competitiveness
- Published
NRL teams have won the last three World Club Challenge meetings
World Club Series - St Helens v Sydney Roosters |
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Venue: Langtree Park Date: Friday, 19 February Kick-off: 20:00 GMT Coverage: Commentary on BBC Radio 5 live sports extra, BBC local radio via the BBC Sport website and app, plus live text commentary online. |
Super League teams must show they can compete with their National Rugby League counterparts in the World Club Series, says St Helens' Jon Wilkin.
Three sides from each competition will face each other in consecutive days.
Sunday's showpiece fixture is Grand Final winners Leeds and NRL champions North Queensland Cowboys in the World Club Challenge, a game Saints lost 39-0 to South Sydney Rabbitohs in 2015.
"Super League versus the NRL is a big thing isn't it?" said captain Wilkin.
The 32-year-old told BBC Radio Merseyside: "A lot of our guys are being tempted over to the NRL at the moment, so they've certainly got a close eye on our competition.
"We need to show our competition still has got merits and show young guys they should want to stay and play in our competition.
"That's what it's about for me, being the aspirational rugby competition and competing with the NRL so our guys want to stay in the country."
Australian clubs won all three matches in last season's World Club Series. Saints host Sydney Roosters in the first World Club Series match of 2016 on Friday.
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