Yorkshire post:
Rhinos call for fans to rally
by Peter Smith
SUPER League champions Leeds Rhinos today challenged their fans to sell out Elland Road for the World Club Challenge showdown with Australian premiers the Mitsubishi Electric Bulldogs.
The event was officially launched at Elland Road when Leeds Metropolitan University were unveiled as the competition's official sponsors.
The February 4 clash will be known as the Carnegie World Club Challenge after Leeds Met's faculty of sport and education under a unique five-figure sponsorship deal with the university.
Tickets will go on sale to Rhinos fans on December 4 and the club are confident of attracting a capacity 39,000 crowd.
Rhinos head of commercial sales Rob Oates said: "The target is a sell-out crowd. That is the aim and the challenge we have set ourselves.
"We are absolutely delighted to be in the World Club Challenge. It is in Leeds, Elland Road is a great venue and we have close links with Leeds United.
"We hope our fans come out in numbers and the city gets behind the team and the event. It should be a massive night."
Elland Road's capacity for the World Club showdown is more than double Rhinos' average 2004 crowd of just over 16,000, but Oates said: "It is realistic.
"You just have to look at the demand we had for tickets for the Grand Final and this is a city-wide thing rather than just relating to our own fans.
"Leeds United are going to mail all their fans and there will be a mail-shot aimed at everyone who has attended the Tri-Nations.
"There's already massive interest in the game and in the club."
Oates said the effect of Rhinos' Super League triumph their first title success in 32 years is already being felt.
"The new shirt went on sale at the weekend and we sold 1,400 in two days, and season ticket sales are double what they were this time last year," he said.
Rugby Football League chief Richard Lewis is urging all supporters to get behind Leeds as they bid to keep the World Club Challenge trophy in England following Bradford Bulls' victory last year.
He said: "The event has grown in stature since it was reintroduced in 2000 and the 2005 game has the potential to be the most successful event of its kind to date. It is two great clubs with great traditions and it will be a tremendous spectacle which will attract a massive crowd.
"I hope many fans from throughout British rugby league will come to the game and back the Rhinos and support another Great Britain versus Australia encounter."
Leeds Metropolitan University are already considering extending their sponsorship beyond the 2005 game.
Vice-chancellor Professor Simon Lee said: "Seven Leeds Rhinos players are students of ours, as was Lewis Jones, the Leeds star of 50 years ago.
"One of our first Carnegie students in the 1930s was the great Eric Harris, an Australian who played with distinction for Leeds, so rugby league is part of our Carnegie tradition. We are honoured to support this coming together of the British and Australian champions.
"We have students from 120 different countries and we would like the whole world to appreciate this great team sport."
Rhinos chief executive Gary Hetherington added: "Leeds Met's sponsorship is a terrific coup for rugby league.
"They have been big supporters of the club and we have got a very strong relationship with them in a number of areas."
Rhinos coach Tony Smith said: "It would be a great shot in the arm for British rugby league if we could win the World Club Challenge.
"That is what we are all about. We will be doing our best to put British rugby league back on top of the pedestal."
