Matty Lees aims to knock world champs Wigan over as St Helens seek glory
MATTY Lees has made the admission no St Helens fan wants to make – he was glad to see Wigan go on top of the world.
Now to knock them off their perch as he wants a crack at taking the World Club Challenge back to the other side of Billinge Lump.
The last two world champions, who both beat NRL titans Penrith Panthers, square off in the match that coined the phrase ‘derby.’
Normally, one would not praise the other but Saints prop Lees, whose side won four titles in a row before Wigan last year, conceded ahead of a ‘perfect challenge’: “We’ve been there ourselves and watching another Super League team do that was great for the sport as a whole.
“The gap’s not as big as some people used to say and hopefully we can beat the Aussies every chance we get.
“No World Club Challenge is an easy game. Hopefully we can get there again and prove ourselves against the best again.
“This is a perfect challenge for us. Over the last few years we’ve done really well and we have that target on our backs.
“Everyone wants to challenge themselves against us and we need to set that bar higher and higher every year because other teams are getting better.
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“But the thought of the trophy being on loan doesn’t cross our minds.
“They’re the champions and were the best team last year by far. We’re looking to see how far we can get and compete against the best – and things have stepped up.
“However, this is a must-win game, for the whole town.”
Saints are in the middle of a hellish run of games. Playing Leeds away in league and cup, now Wigan, then Catalans in the south of France.
So far, it is two wins from two and these are the sequences Lees, 26, craves as he added: “We’ve played some great teams and hopefully we can take that to the end of the year.
“We’ve had a tough few weeks – Leeds away twice, Wigan then Catalans away. Everybody turns up against us these days after the success we’ve had.
“It’s something we get excited about and you’ve got to enjoy weeks like this. It started Monday with video and you take it all the way through to the game.”
Something else is at stake when the bitter rivals meet today – a bill for coffee between coaches Paul Wellens and Matt Peet.
You may think being on either side of the divide means they do not speak to each other. In fact, it is the opposite.
And whatever happens, one of them will be buying.
Wigan chief Peet told SunSport: “I’ve just got a lot of respect for Paul. We understand the position each other is in.
“Although we’re great rivals, we have a lot of things in common about what makes a strong team and a strong club.
“When we meet up, one of us pays. We’ll speak a bit about rugby league and the players we rate, people who are in good form, also some off-field things we have to contend with.
“More about how you manage other areas at the club, things like how you communicate with your strength and conditioning department and physios.
“He’s certainly said things to me that I’ve taken on board and has helped me out.”
Super League’s last five champions meet at a sold out Totally Wicked Stadium but Peet insists no matter where it is held, Good Friday is Good Friday.
He added: “Both teams take a good away following and they’re both very vocal. The atmosphere and energy in the stadium just make for a better game.
“And the players are aware of how to handle these games and get that emotional control right. That’s why we’ve both been successful.
“Wigan and St Helens bring out their best in the big games. It’s everything you want from a rugby league game. I love Good Friday, these are the games you love to coach in.”