Jared Waerea-Hargreaves forces his way through the Quins defence

Manly Sea Eagles warmed up for the World Club Championship with a 34-26 comeback win over Harlequins.

Manly, whose squad was hit by a stomach bug this week, fielded fringe players in the first half and were 20-0 down at the break as Quins ran in three tries.

The first-team players returned after the break and Michael Robertson scored twice to put Manly back in the hunt.

Jamie O'Callaghan crossed for Quins but David Williams, Brett Stewart, Jamie Lyon and Steve Matai sealed the win.

The Australian champions face Super League champions Leeds Rhinos at Elland Road on 1 March.

The Eagles arrived in the country last Tuesday to prepare for the annual clash but prop George Rose missed the tourists' first training session with gastric problems and a number of other players, including Shane Rodney and Glenn Stewart, also fell ill.

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At Sunday's match, players from both clubs observed a minute's silence and wore black armbands to mark a national day of mourning in Australia for all the victims of the recent bush fires.

If Leeds manage to beat Manly in the World Club Challenge it would make them the first team in the 33-year history of the match to be crowned world champions in consecutive years after they defeated Melbourne Storm 11-4 at Elland Road last year.

Manly qualified for the world title match by defeating last year's World Club Challenge finalists Melbourne Storm 40-0 in the NRL Grand Final.

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