Rugby League Betting: Wigan can restore English pride

“Desire will be the telling factor between the sides on Sunday and I’m surprised to see Wigan odds against.”

Stuart Jones believes the markets have got it wrong for the World Club Challenge and expects Wigan to become the first English side to win the match for three years. Meanwhile, Saints aim to maintain their impressive start…

English sides have enjoyed the lion’s share of success in the World Club Challenge since it was reintroduced in 2000, but the tide has begun to turn in recent years with Manly and Melbourne Storm ensuring the trophy has stayed Down Under for the last two seasons. This year’s showdown is between Wigan and St George Illawarra Dragons and takes place at the former’s DW stadium at 19:15 on Sunday.

It’s obviously hard to prove, but it does seem to be the case that this competition is held in much higher regard in this country than it is by the Australians. The fact that Dragons coach Wayne Bennett was threatening not even to bother sending a team across due to a dispute over when the game was to be played adds some weight to that argument.

Wigan’s reply to what they would have seen to be a disappointing draw with St Helens on the opening weekend was to travel across the Pennines and dish out a 44-10 thumping to Bradford at Odsal. Amos Roberts scored a brace of tries on his belated return to action and, touch wood, Michael Maguire should be able to name the same side at the DW stadium this weekend.

Unlike last year’s winner Melbourne Storm, the Dragons have chosen not to play a warm-up game in England, deciding that a 28-14 win over Canterbury Bulldogs in the Mercury Challenge little over a week ago was sufficient to get them up to speed for Sunday’s game. However, St George’s preparations off the field haven’t gone smoothly and they will have to overcome the absence of Wayne Bennett if they are to prove successful after their head coach was forced to return to Australia for family reasons earlier in the week.

I suspect that desire will be the telling factor between the sides on Sunday and, with an interrupted build-up far from ideal when going up against a side that will be as pumped up as the Warriors, I was surprised to see Wigan odds against in the outright market.

The first live game of the weekend comes from the Stobart Stadium on Friday evening and St Helens can continue their impressive start to season with victory over Warrington.

Saints fought back from 16-0 down to earn a deserved point against Wigan at the Millennium Magic weekend in round one and confirmed that promise with a very easy 56-22 win away at Salford, a couple of late scores arguably flattering the home side at the finish.

Whilst Royce Simmons is expected to be able to name James Graham and Paul Wellens in his side after missing out last Friday, Tony Smith will have to go with a similar line-up to one that scraped home against Hull KR, with centres Matt King and Chris Bridge both out for the foreseeable future.

With the exception of Lee Briers in the stand-off position, I can’t see any area where Warrington have the edge and therefore will be siding with the home side to cover a handicap of four points.

Recommended bets:
Back Wigan to beat the St George Illawarra Dragons @ 2.08 in the outright market
Back St Helens -4.5 pts at 1.91 against the Warrington Wolves

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February 22, 2011 • Tags: Wigan, Wigan Restore • Posted in: Betting Posts

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