The big day has arrived. The Super League play-offs are here and for Leeds Rhinos, the journey to Old Trafford begins. They take on Catalans Dragons in the first round at the Stade Gilbert Brutus, their fourth game in France in the past eight weeks.
It's a long day for the Rhinos who will travel in and out in the day. On other trips, such as the one to Toulouse earlier this year, they travelled a day before the game as part of their preparation. But this won't be the case on this trip, with a morning flight from Leeds Bradford Airport on the agenda.
The Rhinos players will meet at the airport at around 8:30 ahead of a chartered flight which sets off for Perpignan. The flight takes just over two hours meaning that, when taking the time difference into account, they will arrive in Perpignan at around 13:45, around seven hours before the game takes place. The plan is for the players to have a swim, grab a coffee and relax after travelling.
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That gives the squad some downtime in the afternoon and they will have a period to relax within the city before a very short coach trip to Stade Gilbert Brutus, the home of the Dragons. They will make the ten-minute journey and arrive around two hours before kick-off.
Following the game, the Rhinos have very little time to relax and wind down. The flight back to Leeds sets off at 00:40 and with the game not likely to finish until around 22:45 French time, it means they have little time to spare to ensure they catch their flight back. Who knows what will happen if it goes to golden point! Thankfully, the stadium is only ten minutes from the airport.
They are expected to land back into Leeds Bradford at 1:40, making it a near 17-hour day for those involved. For the Rhinos though, they'll be hoping it isn't their last day of the season.
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