Rhinos v Bulldogs - Preview

ESL champions Leeds Rhinos face Australian champions Canterbury Bulldogs in the Carnegie World Club Challenge on Saturday at Elland Road.

An excited Leeds captain Sinfield said: "What a way to start the year, if we could join those clubs who have managed to become world club champions, it would be something very special for us and great for the British game too."

Leeds are favourites to win the game, with Canterbury missing six of their Grand Final winning line-up due to injury. Canterbury skipper Tony Grimaldi insisted: "We're taking it 100% seriously.

"If we didn't play this game, we'd have a trial game next week or the week after any way.

"We've got five or six new kids that are coming in to try and grab a couple of spots because a few of the guys will be ready by round one.

"We've done all our pre-season work. We had five weeks before Christmas and three weeks after so we're just fine tuning now."

Canterbury winger Trent Cutler has overcome an illness scare and will make his first-grade debut in Friday's Carnegie World Club Challenge.

The former Bulldogs junior was thought to have been suffering from a deep-vein thrombosis but has been cleared after undergoing hospital tests.

Forward Trevor Thurling will miss out, though, because of a hamstring injury.

Adam Brideson comes into the 17-strong squad, with former Leeds player Bradley Clyde, 35, acting as 18th man.

"Trevor Thurling is very unlikely to play so I'm officially 18th man," said Clyde.

"I was actually looking forward to the challenge but then reality sunk it and I'm quite happy that he's okay."

There are only 3,000 tickets still available for the Carnegie World Club Challenge. Sales have passed the 32000 mark at the time this article was written.