2020 World Club Challenge

St Helens take on Sydney Roosters in the annual World Club challenge, between the current Super League Champions and the Reigning NRL Premiers. Sydney are the current holders, beating Wigan last year and they are a serious team. The Aussies have had a decent prep over in Spain, but are a much changed team from last year, with a couple of key players having left the club and a couple of notable injuries.

Saints are also missing a few with Lachlan Coote, Mark Percival and Regan Grace being injured. James Roby returning is a huge boost and he strengthens an already strong bunch of forwards and I do feel they can match the Roosters up front. James Morris and Daniel Tupou are a couple of backs worth watching with the latter being one of the best at attacking the high ball. He is likely to be up against Tommy Makinson, who is also pretty solid under a " bomb " and this is one of many interesting match up's..

Sydney are 8 to 10 point favourites, depending on where you look and given the Aussie sides recent dominance in the competition, this looks fair. Saints will have match sharpness on their side as this will be their 4th game of the season, whereas the NRL Comp has yet to begin.

Looks like a full house at the Totally Wicked Stadium ( Langtree Park ) and a cracking atmosphere is guaranteed. Tough to call a winner for me, so just going with a couple of St Helens players as first tryscorer and also added some fancy scorecasts.

FIRST TRYSCORER

DOM PEYROUX at 40's
LUKE THOMPSON at 40's

Decent game so far with the Roosters up 8 - 6 at Half Time and managed to get one of the bets up with Luke Thompson scoring the first try. The Aussie side look very dangerous, with their speed at the play the ball and the pace of the backs. Saints desperately need to keep it close as there is a real danger that Sydney will run away with it.

20 - 12 to Sydney in the end. Saints had their chances and the clinching Roosters try was via a very forward looking pass. At the other end Saints had 2 tries correctly disallowed.