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📻 IMPORTANT AUCKLAND UPDATE 📻
Broncos take All Blacks path for World Club Challenge
Joel Gould, AAP •  January 9th, 2026 10:15 pm
The Broncos are planning to add to their NRL grand final win with a World Club Challenge title | Mark Evans/AAP
Brisbane are set to pull out all stops to win the World Club Challenge against Hull KR and will use an elite training base in London frequented by the All Blacks as preparation.
The defending NRL premiers will fly out of Brisbane on February 10 ahead of the February 20 showdown in Hull. They will be based initially in London at The Lensbury, a resort on the banks of the River Thames famous for its links to elite sport
The All Blacks have been regular users of the facility and were based their ahead of their 2015 World Cup title defence.
Manchester United also trained at The Lensbury ahead of their 2023 semi-final win in the FA Cup and again before the final which they lost to Manchester City.
The champion All Blacks outfit have often based themselves at The Lensbury in London | Photo: Marty Melville/AAP
The standard of the pitches at The Lensbury is such that they were awarded UEFA Grade 5 status, placing them on a par with Wembley Stadium.
The facilities include two elite level sports pitches, a state of the art gym, team meeting rooms, a 25m pool and a team of chefs providing meals geared to the requirements of professional athletes.
To prepare for their lengthy stay in England the Broncos will on Monday travel to Toowoomba for a two-week camp where they will fine-tune initial preparations.
The Broncos have won the World Club Challenge twice, in 1992 with a 22-8 away win over Wigan Warriors and in 1997 in a 36-12 victory over Hunter Mariners in a unique final.
The 1997 format included 22 teams from Super League in Australia, England and France contesting six rounds and a finals series.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire, who was at the helm of South Sydney when they defeated St Helens 39-0 in a record winning margin in the 2015 World Club Challenge, has reinforced to his players how prestigious winning the title is.
Broncos coach Michael Maguire (right) has placed a high value on the World Club Challenge | Photo: Dan Himbrechts/AAP
Broncos prop Corey Jensen said to be the first NRL side since the Sydney Roosters in 2020 to lift the trophy would be "massive".
"At the Broncos we strive to win trophies," he said
"That has been our motto since Madge (Maguire) came to the club.
"We are under no illusions that they want to win it the same way we want to. It is going to be a good test.
"An Australian team hasn't won it for a while. The English take it personally so it is up to us to match it with them and bring the trophy back to Australia."
Jensen said the Toowoomba camp was ideal early preparation to help the side "bond together as a group".
Broncos star Brendan Piakura has suffered a knee injury at training | Photo: AAP
"It is a short pre-season for us, so to come together for two weeks will put us in good stead for the season ahead," he said.
The Broncos have suffered an early season concern with back-rower Brendan Piakura sustaining a left knee injury on Thursday at training. It was heavily strapped on Friday.The club is yet to announce the extent of the injury.
"He is getting around okay in the gym," Jensen said.
"Hopefully it's not too bad and he'll be back out there training with us soon."
