Three USA Pioneers to train with Wigan

The USARL has confirmed the identity of the 24 players who will make up their squad for the forthcoming clash with Leeds Rhinos in Jacksonville on January 18.

Three of those players will be training with Wigan Warriors, who are also in the USA for preseason this winter.

The trio are Tampa Mayhem back row enforcer Josh Heath, Central Florida prop Brandon Gould, and his club-mate Sterling Wynn, a full-back or winger.

Wigan second row John Bateman insists that Shaun Wane’s squad is not taking the trans-Atlantic trip simply for a warm weather break, and the players will be expected to work hard while away.

“It’s certainly very tough, we’re definitely not going on a holiday! We train three or four times a day whilst we’re there,” he told his club’s official website.

“We’re able to get out on the field more because sometimes over here the fields are a bit too hard and you can’t do as much as you would like. Over there we can train a lot more on the field and do more running outside.

“More field work helps you to get to know your team better. It’s one of the most important things because that’s what we are going to be doing all year at the end of the day, you need to get used to playing with the other guys and used to their games it’s how you gel together as a team.”