World Club Series: Daryl Clark says Warrington are eager to get Super League sides off to a good start
Wednesday 18 February 2015 21:43, UK
Warrington’s Daryl Clark thinks the World Club Series match against St George-Illawarra Dragons is a great chance to show the gap between Super League teams and their NRL counterparts is not as big as some believe.
The World Club Challenge has been expanded to three matches this year and the Wolves and Dragons get a brilliant weekend of Rugby League action underway at the Halliwell Jones Stadium on Friday night.
And Clark, the reigning Man of Steel, is excited about the prospect of squaring off against Australian opposition.
Live World Club Series Rugby League
“We are really looking forward to kicking the series off,” he said. “It is going to be an exciting night in front of a packed crowd. Hopefully we can get off to a good start.
“The weather is going to be a bit different to what they are used to and I am sure that will fall in our favour. It is going to be a first game for me against an NRL team, so it is going to be new and interesting.
“Everyone has got a big perception that the NRL is a lot better than Super League, and has all the best players but, hopefully, if we can chalk up a couple of wins, it might change people’s perception on that.
“The gap is probably not as big as people think but they get a lot more coverage than we do and the game is bigger over there, so I think that is where people’s views come from.”
However, New Zealand international Benji Marshall says he and his Dragons team mates do not view the Super League as inferior.
“I have played some of my toughest games over here in the UK and some of the best players I have ever played with are from here,” he said.
Everyone has got a big perception that the NRL is a lot better than Super League, and has all the best players but, hopefully, if we can chalk up a couple of wins, it might change people’s perception on that.
“For us, we don’t go around saying that, or thinking that. We respect the players when we come over here.
“I know how many proud clubs there are over here. They take pride in their performances, and we are the same.
“It is going to be a tough challenge, I have a lot of friends who have played at Warrington and have told me how proud this club is, so we are looking forward to a tough game.
“There is no point turning up and not expecting to try and play well. We have not started our season so for us it is a great opportunity to start well and work on combinations.
“Gareth Widdop is the English legend in our team and he told us how beautiful the weather is here. It is not even that cold!”
Watch the World Club Series match between Warrington Wolves and St George-Illawarra Dragons from 7.30pm on Friday on Sky Sports 1
