A total of 249 years of history will collide in the World Club Challenge on Monday morning (AEDT), when reigning NRL Premiers the Rabbitohs take on reigning English Super League Premiers St Helens for a shot at world supremacy. For the Rabbitohs, after 107 years, the NRL’s oldest and most successful club will play for the very first time in the land of the game’s birth, England, some 80 kilometres away from the George Hotel in Huddersfield, Yorkshire where the game tore away from Rugby Union on August 29, 1895. The magnitude of the occasion hasn’t been lost on England’s Rugby League public, with huge turn-outs at open training sessions and community events, dotted by an influx of Rabbitohs jerseys and red and green in a show of the ever-growing reach of the Rabbitohs brand. Even St Helens coach, Keiron Cunningham, has been swept up in the importance of the occasion, describing the chance to play Souths as the proudest moment of his illustrious career, labelling the red and green’s ‘giants of the game’. "I won't have had a prouder moment as a St Helens boy than seeing Souths walk out on to Langtree Park,” the Saints mentor told Saint Helens’ official wesbite. “It is an honour for us to be rubbing shoulders with these giants of the game.” “Souths are a fantastic team; I look at Michael Maguire as a coaching idol. He has done well in his career and to go back to Australia and do the same with Souths was phenomenal. "It will be good for me to pit my wits against him and learn some things too. I now have the opportunity as a coach to see a great team play against the best team in the world."
The South Sydney Rabbitohs are pleased to announce their team to take on the St Helens in the World Club Championship to be played at LAngtree Park, St Helens, England on Sunday 7:00pm UK Time. Turner was unavialble due to injury. Auva'a and C.Walker were unavailable due to suspension.
Based on the Rabbitohs traditional cardinal and myrtle home strip, the WCC jersey will be worn when the Rabbitohs take on St Helens on Sunday 22 February and pays tribute to this historic UK fixture with the St George’s Cross taking prime position across the jersey chest and amongst the Rabbitohs 21 Hoops. For Rabbitohs English international, George Burgess, the jersey is a unique and special nod to his heritage. “It made me feel a bit warm inside seeing that red cross in the middle,” said Burgess. “We’ve got to really prepare well for it and do all we can to put ourselves in the best position to go on and take that trophy.”
The Rabbitohs’ team is:
1. Inglis, Greg (c) 2. Johnston, Alex 3. Walker, Dylan 4. Goodwin, Bryson 5. Reddy, Joel 6. Keary, Luke 7. Reynolds, Adam 8. Burgess, George 9. Luke, Issac 10. Tyrrell, Dave 11. Stewart, Glenn 12. Sutton, John 13. Clark, Jason 14. Millard, Daryl 15. Lowe, Ben 16. McQueen, Chris 17. Burgess, Tom 18. Grant, Tim 19. McInnes, Cameron 20. Grevsmuhl, Chris Coach – Michael Maguire
While the South Sydney Rabbitohs prepare to take on St Helens in the UK, the Club’s NYC side is preparing to take on Saints of a different sort this Saturday 21st at Redfern Oval at 4:30pm. The Rabbitohs’ under 20s squad will take on the St George Illawarra Dragons in a trial match at South Sydney’s spiritual home, just one week after Members and supporters returned to the ground for the Return to Redfern clash against the Northern Pride. The South Sydney Rabbitohs Holden Cup team is
1. Perrin, Tom 2. Goolagong, Damon 3. Hiroti, Haimona 4. Olive, John 5. Hughes, Tom 6. Coleman, Liam 7. Hedges, Jordie 8. Williams, Clayton 9. Booth, Aaron (c) 10. Syme, Eden 11. Gray, Brock 12. Saumamao, Tulsa 13. Whitelaw, Cheyne 14. Garlick, Bronson 15. Davidson, Tim 16. Los'e, PJ 17. Crichton, Angus 18. Timoteo, Dominic 19. O'Donnell, Chad 20. Tangiiti, Wallace Coach - Ben Gardiner
The North Sydney Bears NSW Cup squad will play their second trail clash against the Illawarra Cutters at TG Milner Field on Saturday Feb 21 at 6:00pm. The NSW Cup team is
1. Schaumkel, Latrell 2. Chang , Dane 3. Tuakafa, Stefano 4. Gray, Aaron 5. Manuleleua, Sam 6. Wall, Brad 7. Roberts, Nikko 8. Ross, Michael 9. Hyland, Matt (c) 10. Lofalafa, Will 11. McClinchey, Dean 12. Williams, Jackson 13. Roberts, Jesse 14. Mauala, Fred Junior 15. Low, Duncan 18. Klifi, Klifi Tia 19. Gentles, Brent 20. Mulcahy, Matt 21. Doaud, Mark 23. Felila, Ofa 5. Pearsall, Mike 6. Nicholls, Blake 8. Lee, Evan 8. Govett, Jack 9. Garlick, Jackson 10. Abouhaidar, Jordan 13. McKeown, Dylan 18. Friend, Jethro 21. Gregorius, Bernard Coach - Wayne Lamkin
The South Sydney Rabbitohs SG Ball U18 to play in Round 2 against Canberra at Seiffort Oval at Saturday Feb 21 3:00pm
1. Perri, Blade 2. Reweti, Jalen 3. Anderson, Jade 4. O'Connor, Dylan 5. Tufuga, Johnathan 6. Rahme, Richardo 7. Hookey, Kobi 8. Alvarado, Tristan 9. Neil, John 10. Hamlin, Gabe 11. Koloamatangi, Keaon 12. Talakai, Siosifa (c) 13. Murray, Cameron 14. Fuimaono, Henry 15. Manowski, Blake 16. Preece, Kurtis 17. Fitzgerald, Brody 18. Ngamotu, Keenan 19. Townsend, Reece 20. Maipi, Tuteauru 21. Tuiletufuga, Wiremu 22. Guler, Emre Coach - Willie Peters
The South Sydney Rabbitohs Harold Mathews U16 to play in Round 2 against Canberra at Seiffort Oval at 1:30pm
1. Mitsias, Johnny 2. Mougios, Nicholas 3. Graham, Campbell 4. Hiroti, Marwene 5. Dellow, Raine 6. Fitzgerald, Bailey 7. Hawkins, Dean (c) 8. Fifita, Daniel 9. Cook, Josh 10. Veikoso, Wesley 11. Nader, Bobby 12. Lose, Joey 13. Kambos, Jake 15. Rodwell, Ky 16. Hyslop, Che 17. Falemanu, Simone 18. Butcher, Egan 19. Smith, Harrison 20. Kairouz, Nick 21. Chan-Foon, Maila 22. Meader, Jacob 23. Bouris, Ky Coach - Jason Peterson
The South Sydney Rabbitohs SG Ball U18 to play in Round 3 against Penrith at Erskenville Oval at Saturday Feb 28 3:00pm
1. Perri, Blade 2. Reweti, Jalen 3. Talakai, Siosifa (c) 4. O'Connor, Dylan 5. Tufuga, Johnathan 6. Anderson, Jade 7. Preece, Kurtis 8. Fitzgerald, Brody 9. Neil, John 10. Hamlin, Gabe 11. Koloamatangi, Keaon 12. Alvarado, Tristan 13. Murray, Cameron 14. Fuimaono, Henry 15. Manowski, Blake 16. Hookey, Kobi 17. Tuiletufuga, Wiremu 18. Ngamotu, Keenan 19. Townsend, Reece 20. Maipi, Tuteauru 21. Rahme, Richardo 22. Guler, Emre 23. Boyce, Rangi-Paoa Coach - Willie Peters
The South Sydney Rabbitohs Harold Mathews U16 to play in Round 3 against Penrith at 1:30pm
1. Mitsias, Johnny 2. Mougios, Nicholas 3. Graham, Campbell 4. Hiroti, Marwene 5. Dellow, Raine 6. Fitzgerald, Bailey 7. Hawkins, Dean (c) 8. Fifita, Daniel 9. Cook, Josh 10. Veikoso, Wesley 11. Nader, Bobby 12. Lose, Joey 13. Kambos,Jake 15. Rodwell, Ky 16. Hyslop, Che 17. Falemanu, Simone 18. Butcher, Egan 19. Smith, Harrison 20. Kairouz, Nick 21. Chan-Foon, Maila 22. Meader, Jacob 23. Bouris, Ky Coach - Jason Peterson