World Club Challenge: St Helens set for Sydney Roosters clash in 2020
Watch St Helens and Sydney Roosters go head-to-head in next year's World Club Challenge live on Sky Sports
Tuesday 12 November 2019 10:45, UK
St Helens will tackle NRL champions Sydney Roosters in next year's World Club Challenge, Super League have confirmed.
The 2019 Super League champions will host the Roosters at Totally Wicked Stadium on Saturday, February 22 at 7.45pm, with the match being broadcast live on Sky Sports.
It will be Saints' first World Club Challenge appearance since 2015 and their sixth overall. They also played the Roosters in the 2016 World Club Series, with the Australian side winning 38-12.
"We are really excited about the opportunity to face the Roosters in such a prestigious fixture," new St Helens head coach Kristian Woolf said.
"It will be a great challenge for us to test ourselves against the current World Club Champions and we are aiming to stand up and represent Super League and this part of the world in what will be a huge game."
The Roosters are the current World Club Challenge holders, beating Wigan Warriors 20-8 at the DW Stadium last year.
That made it four wins for the Australian side in the annual clash of the Super League champions and NRL premiers, including the 25-2 win over St Helens in the first unofficial World Club Challenge in 1976.
"This is an important fixture on the rugby league calendar and we're looking forward to heading to England to compete against St Helens for the 2020 World Club Challenge title," Roosters head coach Trent Robinson said.
St Helens go into next year on the back of finishing top of the table by a record margin and securing their first Super League Grand Final triumph since 2014.
Robinson's side successfully defended their NRL crown in 2019 and will be aiming to do the same with the World Club title when they head to the UK in February.
"Saints dominated our competition in 2019 and we know they will relish the opportunity to test themselves against the best in the NRL," Super League executive chairman Robert Elstone said. "I'm already starting to look forward to seeing some of the best rugby league players in the world.
"I know Saints fans will be really excited about hosting the Roosters, and I'm certain all rugby league fans across the UK will want to see the greats of our game going toe to toe."
