George Williams warns Super League not to waste huge Las Vegas opportunity
SUPER League hopes to be a Sin-sation in Las Vegas – now England captain George Williams has warned ‘don’t waste it.’
The Bright Light City will set SL on fire as Wigan host Warrington at Allegiant Stadium on Saturday, March 1.
England’s women will also face Australia in a Test match in a four-game extravaganza.
And Warrington star Williams, who heads there for his stag do in November and whose chief executive Karl Fitzpatrick calls it a ‘seminal moment’, feels the time has come to grasp what has been offered.
He said: “It’s so good for the game. I can’t stress as players how important it is. We can’t miss this opportunity.
“Watching the NRL do it this year, I was jealous but there were a few Chinese whispers a few weeks ago and I was praying they could get it over the line.
“We need to showcase our talent and athletes more globally when we can. When people watch our game, they seem to love it. We just don‘t get enough people in the stadiums watching it.
“And there is a gap in the market. Americans love contact sport and a bit of drama. Hopefully, we can bring that. The event will also feature two different styles – same game, played differently.
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“We know our Super League style, so let’s go show that and not try and be like the NRL. We follow them in a lot of things they do right but the way we play is a bit more free-flowing and high risk.”
The Vegas match is the result of Wigan chief executive Kris Radlinski contacting NRL boss Peter V’Landys after seeing this year’s event attract 40,000 fans.
He said: “I sat there, watched something pretty special and thought, ‘We need to be a part of that.’
“So I emailed Peter with the suggestion and the hope is two other clubs go in 2026. I hope it whets the appetite.”
Wolves boss Sam Burgess – who pushed England’s 2018 Test in Denver to doubting NRL clubs – added his voice to the call for Super League’s inclusion.
He said: “I think I was late to the party, but I’m good friends with Peter and texted him in March, including Karl in it to introduce them and said, ‘If it’s going to go ahead, we’ve got to be a part of it.’
“It’s a landmark day for the game. We get to show what we believe to be a special game in one of the most famous cities in the world. We’ll do it justice on the field.
“For Denver, we got almost 20,000 people with not as much forward planning as this. No-one had been there before either, whereas the NRL has already been to Vegas.
“This is exactly what the game needs. It’s great forward thinking, which is what the game needs here. We need to be bullish and aggressive.
“It can bring in some new supporters from the States, which will be electric, but it’s important we not only make the first one successful for us but that others can be part of it moving forward.”
The match will be a Wigan home game in round three of the 2025 competition, meaning a reduction in season ticket prices but one they are prepared to make.
Both clubs will pay travel and accommodation costs up front – with all eight sides splitting between two hotels – in the hope a share of ticket sales covers that.
It also comes the week after the World Club Challenge, which is set to be on these shores.
And it gives the likes of Williams and Wigan star Bevan French the chance to shine on the biggest of stages.
French said: “I watched the NRL in Vegas with aspirations of Super League going there – I didn’t think it would be so quickly!
“I only heard about it on Friday, it took me less than five seconds to say yes! However, the ambition of the club is one of the reasons I’m sticking around.
“And the two teams going are the perfect candidates, we like to attack more than anything.”
And Williams added: “Both teams like to throw the ball around, quite a few players have the X Factor and I was having a laugh about having to come up with some mad plays to entertain!”
LAS VEGAS SCHEDULE (ALL TIMES GMT)
9.30pm – Wigan v Warrington
Midnight – Canberra v New Zealand Warriors
2am – Australia v England Women
4.30am – Penrith v Cronulla