Wigan Warriors are set to take on Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge and already tempers are high.
The game is believed to be held at the DW Stadium on February 24th part way through the Super League season and two weeks prior to the opening NRL fixture.
This is despite the fact Wigan pushed for the game to take place in Las Vegas alongside the opening two NRL games.
After this confirmation, the notorious Mole of Wide World of Sports suggested that only now did Wigan have a chance of beating Penrith due to home advantage ignoring the result when St Helens defeated Penrith in the 2o23 World Club Challenge.
This has caused a real stir among Wigan fans with one fan saying: “Wigan were the first team to beat the Aussies in their own back yard and they can do it again.”
Another called out Australians for disrespecting Super League: “Saints taught them a lesson. The Aussies disrespect all Super League teams. They continue to poach players. Lets hope Wigan can given them a game.”
Meanwhile, one fan suggested that Australians just make the excuse they don’t care when they lose: “When they lose, it’s always because they didn’t take the game seriously. If they don’t think the competition is serious, don’t come.”
Many felt that Saints’ success was something that should be acknowleged:
“They can win it like Saints,” another warned, “Unfortunately Saints put them in their place last year and I don’t think they will make the same mistake again.”
Again fans claimed that Australians are disrespectful for Super League: “Aussies all said the same when they were playing St Helens and look what happened there,” another added, “Saints did it last year. I honestly don’t see why Wigan can’t this time. The NRL has always disrespected Super League and that needs to change when you consider their salary cap compared to ours also.”
This one angry fan said: “Comical. They say Penrith didn’t take Saints seriously last year but how do they know? End of the day, Penrith didn’t want to get beat in their own back yard by an English team and a team from a so called lesser league.
“Also their national team getting battered and nilled by the Kiwis the other week. Face facts, Australia are not always the best. They just can’t handle defeat.”