2023 (2023) World Club Challenge  ()
Penrith Stadium during the match
Penrith Panthers St Helens
(NRL) (Super League)
12 13
12GP1 Total
PEN 0120 12
STH 1021 13
Date18 February 2023
StadiumBlueBet Stadium
LocationSydney, Australia
Man of the MatchJack Welsby (St Helens)
RefereeAshley Klein (Australia)
Attendance13,873
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators

The 2023 World Club Challenge (known as the 2023 Betfred World Club Challenge for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th staging of the World Club Challenge. The match was contested by the NRL winners Penrith Panthers, and Super League champions St Helens.[1][2][3]

Background

The challenge was played for the first time since 2020 as the global COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the intervening fixtures.[4]

Penrith Panthers

Penrith defeated Parramatta Eels in the 2022 NRL Grand Final, which qualified them for the 2023 World Club Challenge.

St Helens

St Helens and the Leeds Rhinos competed in the 2022 Super League Grand Final, for a record fifth time at Old Trafford, which saw St Helens win 24–12.

Pre-match

Team selection

Following the departures of Viliame Kikau, Apisai Koroisau, and Charlie Staines to other clubs, Penrith fielded a team with 11 members of their 2022 grand final team. 2022 Clive Churchill Medallist and regular fullback Dylan Edwards missed the match through injury,[5] with Liam Martin and Scott Sorensen also absent through injury concerns.[6]

Team details
Penrith PanthersPositionSt Helens
NameNumberNumberName
Stephen Crichton1Fullback1Jack Welsby
Taylan May2Wing2Tommy Makinson
Izack Tago3Centre23Konrad Hurrell
Sunia Turuva4Centre4Mark Percival
Brian To'o5Wing3Will Hopoate
Jarome Luai6Five eighth/Stand off6Jonny Lomax
Nathan Cleary (c)7Half back/Scrum half7Lewis Dodd
Moses Leota8Prop forward8Alex Walmsley
Mitch Kenny9Hooker9James Roby (c)
James Fisher-Harris10Prop forward10Matty Lees
Luke Garner11Second row11Sione Mata'utia
Zac Hosking12Second row16Curtis Sironen
Isaah Yeo13Lock forward/Loose forward13Morgan Knowles
Jack Cogger14Interchange14Joey Lussick
Matthew Eisenhuth15Interchange15Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook
Spencer Leniu16Interchange17Agnatius Paasi
Jaeman Salmon17Interchange18Jake Wingfield
Lindsay Smith18Interchange19James Bell
Australia Ivan ClearyCoachEngland Paul Wellens
RLP

Officiating

Australian referee Ashley Klein was selected to referee his third World Club Challenge, having previously been in charge of the 2008 and 2012 fixtures.

Match

Summary

The match was originally scheduled to kick off at 18:00 AEDT but due to the extreme heat and humidity forecast for that time, the kick off time was put back to 18:50 AEDT.[7] The NRL also announced that the game will be played in four quarters of 20 minutes each, with each team allowed an additional interchange player and two extra interchanges allowed during the match.[8] Despite the forecast, a large storm hit the stadium shortly before kick-off, with torrential rain falling for a lot of the match.

St Helens scored twice early through Jack Welsby and Konrad Hurrell, eventually taking a 10-0 lead to half time.

After an extended half time break due to lightning above the stadium, Penrith finally got on the board in the 52nd minute through Izack Tago, before St Helens added a penalty goal to extend their lead to 12-6.

Saints looked to have won the match with two minutes remaining, but Brian To'o scored a try to bring Penrith to within two points, before Nathan Cleary kicked the conversion, to send the match to extra time.

St Helens eventually won the match 13–12, after a knock on from Penrith gave Saints possession near the halfway line, before Lewis Dodd kicked the winning drop goal.[9]

Details

18 February 2023
18:50 AEDT (UTC+11)
Penrith Panthers 12 – 13
(g.p.)		 St Helens
Tries: 2
Tago rugby ball 53'
To'o rugby ball 79'
Goals: 2
Cleary rugby goalposts icon 54', 80' (2/2)
 1st: 0–10
2nd: 12–2
ET: 0–1
Report
 Tries: 2
Welsby rugby ball 9'
Hurrell rugby ball 17'
Goals: 2
Makinson rugby goalposts icon 10' (1/2)
Percival rugby goalposts icon pen 44' (1/1)
Drop goals: 1
Dodd rugby goalposts icon 83'
BlueBet Stadium, Sydney
Attendance: 13,873
Referee: Ashley Klein (Australia)
Touch judges: Darian Furner (Australia), Dave Munro (Australia)
Player of the Match: Jack Welsby (St Helens)

Statistics

Broadcasting

The match was broadcast in Australia on subscription television channel Fox League and streamed via Kayo Sports. In the United Kingdom, Channel 4 and Sky Sports showed the match live.[10]

References

  1. ↑ McAllister, Josh (10 November 2022). "World Club Challenge to return in 2023 as Channel 4 confirm coverage". LoveRugbyLeague.
  2. ↑ "Saints to face Panthers in World Club Challenge". www.superleague.co.uk.
  3. ↑ "World Club Challenge: How to watch St Helens' clash with Penrith Panthers and NRL Pre-Season Challenge games on Sky". Sky Sports.
  4. ↑ "Panthers v St Helens: Martin to miss; Knowles returns". National Rugby League. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  5. ↑ Blyth, Jack (17 February 2023). "Penrith reveal reason behind Edwards' World Club Challenge absence". Zero Tackle. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  6. ↑ "Penrith lose duo for World Club Challenge". espn.com.au. 14 February 2023. Retrieved 7 March 2023.
  7. ↑ Darbyshire, Drew (14 February 2023). "World Club Challenge kick-off time knocked back due to extreme heat". LoveRugbyLeague. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  8. ↑ Walker, Callum (14 February 2023). "Four important rule changes for World Club Challenge clash as St Helens aim up to Penrith Panthers". TotalRL.com. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
  9. ↑ "St Helens stun Penrith to win World Club Challenge". BBC Sport.
  10. ↑ Molyneaux, Mark (16 February 2023). "World Club Challenge 2023: When is it, how to watch, who is playing, preview". The Sporting News. Retrieved 22 March 2023.
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