After all the years of talk about us playing the game over in Australia, see it will happen next year 22 February. Interesting that Wigan are saying they will be going over 2 weeks beforehand - might have a bit of a fixture backlog there

Correct, they play Huddersfield on 7th Feb, and then go to Australia. So they won't have much of a backlog, just the one game as happened previously.

That will surely mean missing a game on the weekend of the 14th and one on the weekend of the 22nd so Wigan will already be two games behind. The fixture on the weekend of the 29th may also be a bit of a trouble for the pies

Typical when we not in it

We'll miss one game. The Huddersfield game has been brought forward as mentioned.

What's happening on the 29th May..?

We need to defend our 100% record.

What 100% record?

WCC wins in Australia. Played 1, Won 1.

Will you do another 'special' shirt?

Wigan are to be congratulated. A very bold move. We spoke of it often but it never happened. They have made it happen.

If they pull off another shock like 1994 it will boost the credibility of the fixture no end.

I'm a bit surprised that given they are hosting, the Australians haven't tried to shift it back a bit so it fits into their calendar a bit better and they have chance to get a good hit out first.

The current timing certainly suits the SL sides.

I'll be there and Ill be cheering on Wigan. Not that I want bad weather when Im over there but I'll be hoping for a cooler Summers day that day because that's the only way I can see Wigan having a chance IMO.

As someone that looks to put Wigan down at every opportunity, this was agreed long before Wigan were GF winners so whilst I'm sure they have agreed to it, they are far from the instigators.

And I hope they get thrashed.

Good luck to them. Would be good for one of our teams to win it in the Aussies back yard. Might shut them up for a few seconds

It wasn't agreed, where you got that from?

Leeds have been saying it since 2005 and never actually made it happen. The fact Wigan are doing it 12 months after Leeds were in it, shows it isn't that hard after all.

I think that is a real possibility, which is why you have to give Wigan credit for being keen to take on the challenge.

It would be great for the game in this country, and the concept itself, if they can put on a real performance.If its one way traffic then i can't see the game being played down under for a fair old while again.

It was. Well before the play offs started, the WCC had been agreed as being played in Australia in 2014.

Maybe dave whelan would not let wigan use the dw so they thought if we can not play on our rented pitch then we might as well go to Australia

This article suggests it was agreed in february

[urlhttp://www.canberratimes.com.au/rugby-league/league-news/world-club-challenge-to-be-held-in-australia-20130213-2edhw.html[/url

That's all Gary Hetherington saying it. Same sort of article that appeared several times in previous years.

Accepted, that one has a little more conviction behind it with a bit of commitment like.

I wouldn't have been surprised to see it at Headingley again though had Leeds won the GF.

Back when the Watkins review happened the Club chairmen were all sent away in working parties to look at different areas of the game. GH and Simon Moran led the working party for the WCC and what could be done about it. They agreed for it to alternate hemispheres.

What will also alternate will be the structure in the uk we will see 3rd SL play 3rd NRL on a friday, 2nd SL play 2nd NRL on Saturday and 1st SL play 1st NRL on the Sunday in an ‘SL v NRL league’ comp. Before going back to 1st v 1st in 2016 in Aus and the 6 team league again in the uk in 2017. Apparently this has been agreed up to 2018.

In which case I appear to have given Wigan too much credit, which should have eben reserved for Hetherington.

Still, I for one hope Wigan pull off another shock like 1994.

Playing at Headingley is always more lucrative all round than at places like the DW. Financially there is less revenue drop off by playing it in Aus when Leeds aren't playing.