Besides having to dig minibuses out of snowdrifts en route to Eskdale youth hostel in Cumbria — a contrast to Leeds Rhinos’ usual pre-season trip to Florida — the Engage Super League champions have enjoyed a trouble-free build-up to their title defence, which begins in Wrexham tonight.

Rarely can a season have been launched by a fixture less designed to stir the blood: Leeds, all-conquering Grand Final winners for the past three years, against the embattled Crusaders, a club ripped from their South Wales anchor and deposited 150 miles away, with a bunch of players — and more still to arrive — without even the benefit of a warm-up game.

Any benevolence by Leeds will be gratefully received in Wrexham. No one is suggesting that a scratch side can cause the mother of upsets against the team labelled “history makers” after last year’s unprecedented third straight Super League championship. But with Welsh rugby league fervour — an uncommon feature of Crusaders’ four years in Bridgend — set to grip a full house at the Racecourse Ground, Brian Noble’s lambs may yet avoid a slaughter. Any signs for optimism will be searched for in Wales; Leeds will simply want to blow away any cobwebs with a comfortable win.

The challenges to their league hegemony are more likely to start in next week’s first full round, featuring Sean Long’s return to St Helens as captain of Hull — an encounter that would have provided an intriguing curtain-raiser to Super League XV.

Leeds’s World Club Challenge date with Melbourne Storm next month is the reason for the distorted and earliest start to the supposed “summer” sport. After last year’s loss to Manly Sea Eagles in the fixture, Leeds are making it no secret that beating Melbourne is their first priority, with matches against unfancied runners in Crusaders, Castleford Tigers, Wakefield Wildcats and Salford City Reds easing them into the showdown at Elland Road on February 28.

Not that Kevin Sinfield, the Leeds captain whose lifting of the trophy has become synonymous with Grand Final night at Old Trafford, takes anything for granted. “If anything, winning makes you more motivated,” he said. “We’re going to Wrexham fully prepared to battle hard. Only a fool would underestimate Crusaders.

“If there’s a difference this season, it’s that we’re miles ahead of where we were at the same stage a year ago. We weren’t ready for the Manly game. Many of us were still suffering the hangover with England from the last World Cup and probably got 12 days of pre-season training in. We’ve doubled that by coming in earlier and not going to Florida. Cumbria’s three hours away and the youth hostel was a great environment for team bonding.”

Of the England squad who reached the Four Nations final in November, Jamie Peacock is given an additional week’s rest, while Leeds hand debuts to their two overseas recruits, Brett Delaney, the Australian centre, and Greg Eastwood, the New Zealand World Cup-winning forward whose arrival was held up for a year after he was refused a visa. “We’re stronger than 2009 as a squad, and expectations are higher,” Sinfield said, ominously.

St Helens have ridden in Leeds’s slipstream since 2007, with little help. That looks like altering, with Warrington Wolves, emboldened by winning last year’s Challenge Cup, having recruited adventurously, and a feeling at Wigan Warriors that Michael Maguire, the former Melbourne assistant coach, can inspire a title bid.

Long’s impact could go a long way to reviving Hull, another club who have invested wisely. After a few lean years, Bradford Bulls look more formidable, Huddersfield Giants are determined to build on their third-place finish last season and Catalans Dragons could surprise everyone. Still, Leeds, eyeing a fifth league title in seven years, remain the benchmark.

Key dates

February 28: Gillette Fusion World Club Challenge, Leeds Rhinos v Melbourne Storm (Elland Road).

May 1-2: Magic Weekend round of Super League games (Murrayfield).

July 18: Northern Rail Cup final (Blackpool).

August 28: Carnegie Challenge Cup final (Wembley).

September 26: Co-operative Championship and Championship One finals.

October 2: Super League Grand Final (Old Trafford).

Oct 16-November 14: Four Nations (Australia and New Zealand).