ITV News’ Chris Hall is in Las Vegas and has been speaking to fans and players ahead of the historic fixture.
Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves are making Rugby League history by swapping the North West for Las Vegas.
At 9.30pm GMT, Wigan and Warrington’s regular Super League fixture began at the Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nevada.
It is a historic match as the first Rugby Super League game to be played outside of Europe, while also being a repeat of last season’s Challenge Cup Final at Wembley – which saw the Warriors win 18 – 8.
The match is just one of four on the night, with two NRL Australasian games set to take place as well as a long-awaited test match between England Women and the Australian Jillaroos.
This will only be the fourth time the two teams have played against each other, with their last match in the 2017 World Cup ending in a 38-0 victory for the Jillaroos.
Head Coach Stuart Barrow says this is the perfect opportunity for England Women to test themselves against the World Champions.
He said: “The Jillaroos are a fantastic side; we know how good they are and how difficult it will be when we face them, but we have to take this opportunity with both hands to test ourselves against the World Champions.”
Vegas might never have seen anything quite like it as thousands of rugby league supporters from across the world embraced being part of an historic week for the sport.
Speaking ahead of the match, Warrington’s Head Coach, Sam Burgess, said: “I think it’s important we’re here. I think we’re all seeing the positives of it and how brilliant it’s going to be for the game.
“We’re going to make sure we commit to it just like the NRL have.”
Wigan’s Kruise Leeming said: “It’s awesome. Look around and see the fans, see the smiles. This is how it should be. I’m so grateful.
“I’ll look back in 30 years time and think ‘wow, was I actually there?’.
“A pinch me moment.”
The weekend’s rugby league festival expands on an event staged by Australia’s NRL in 2024 and could be the first of many under ambitious plans to establish a foothold for the sport in north America.
The teams took to the stage on Fremont Street.
The fact it has caught the imagination of players and fans has led the League to send invitations to all 12 top-flight clubs this week inviting expressions of interest in what they hope and expect will be a similar event in 2026.
Rugby League Commercial managing director Rhodri Jones said: “It’s an opportunity to put Super League on new international territory, to put Super League alongside the NRL, and for players and coaches to experience something new and very different.
“It’s also about enabling the NRL to see how we conduct ourselves not just on the field but off it in business and promotion.
“The only way you can do that is by working together on certain projects, and this has definitely been a step-change in what is hopefully a growing relationship.”
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The post Wigan and Warrington’s historic Rugby Super League match begins in Las Vegas first appeared on Rugby 247.
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Author : rugby-247
Publish date : 2025-03-01 21:57:16
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