London Broncos forward Tony Clubb cannot wait to face London Skolars because it signals the end of simply getting fit for the campaign.

The two outfits clash on January 11 at the Honourable Artillery Company in London – the ninth such meeting between the clubs – at the start of head coach Tony Rea’s pre-season friendly schedule.
 

Clubb has played 141 games for the Broncos since breaking into the first team in 2006 and is the second longest serving player at the club behind hooker Chad Randall.
 

The Broncos returned to training earlier this month and the 25-year-old admitted it had been the a testing period of conditioning work.
 

“These next few days are going to test us. It’s been one of the toughest I’ve done for a long time,” he said.
 

“Every day we’re doing conditioning – two weights sessions a day – and we get home pretty late and have to be up again at 6am so it’s pretty gruelling.
 

“But we’re all in good condition, if we get through this week we’re allowed some time off, and come back and kick into December.
 

“Once we come back after Christmas it’s the business time when we have to start playing.”
 

Former Bronco Joe Mbu coaches the Skolars – who lost 42-14 the last time the two teams met – and Clubb is looking forward to catching up.
 

“It’s a good warm-up game for us and it’s beneficial for both teams,” he added.
 

“Joe has got them going well, and they proved that last year by just missing out on the play-offs.”