2007 World Club Challenge

2007 rugby league match June 2020 August 2019 2007 World Club Challenge Bolton macron wanderers stadium.jpg 250px The Reebok Stadium hosted the match St. Helens Brisbane Broncos Super League National Rugby League ST H St Helens 16 BRI Brisbane Broncos 16 6 12 18 8 6 14 23 February 2007 Reebok Stadium Bolton, England Man of the Match Paul Sculthorpe St Helens 16 Steve Clarke AUS 23,207 United Kingdom Sky Sports Eddie Hemmings Mike Stephenson World Club Challenge 2006 2008 The 2007 Carnegie World Club Challenge was played between Super League XI champions, St. Helens and 2006 National Rugby League premiers, the Brisbane Broncos. It was a replay of the 2001 World Club Challenge, and both clubs' fifth WCC appearance. The match was played on the night of 23 February at Reebok Stadium, Bolton before a crowd of 23,207. Background Brisbane Broncos 2006 NRL Grand Final On 1 October 2006 the Brisbane Broncos clinched the 2006 National Rugby League title in a 15 - 8 defeat of Melbourne Storm to earn a place in the new year's World Club Challenge. Already the leading Australian club in number of Challenge appearances, 2007's match would make it the 4th time Brisbane would travel to England for the match (they also hosted the World Club challenge in 1994, making it a total of 5 appearances. St Helens 2006 Super League Grand Final On 14 October 2006 St Helens qualified for the Challenge after being crowned the 2006 Super League champions, defeating Hull F.C. 26 - 4 in the Grand Final. They went into the match against the Broncos on the back of consecutive defeats in the early rounds of the 2007 Super League XII season. yorkshirepost.co.uk Stuttering Saints get Kear's backing for World Challenge Yorkshire Post UK Johnston Press Digital Publishing 2007-02-20 http://www.yorkshirepost.co.uk/rugby-league/Stuttering-Saints-get-Kear39s-backing.2059888.jp 2010-08-03 Pre-match Brisbane arrived in the United Kingdom with just an 18-man squad for two scheduled matches, the World Club Challenge and a warm-up game.http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/rugby-league-news/2007/02/14/r-league-crusaders-could-get-broncos-call-91466-18621009/ Crusaders could get Broncos call Griffiths Gareth 2007-02-14 South Wales Echo 8 February 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20121009161722/http://www.walesonline.co.uk/sports/rugby-league-news/2007/02/14/r-league-crusaders-could-get-broncos-call-91466-18621009/ 9 October 2012 live Brisbane played their warm-up match against National League Two side Celtic Crusaders at the Brewery Field in Bridgend on 15 February 2007, eight days before the world title contest.https://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/celtic-crusaders-6-brisbane-broncos-32-crusaders-commitment-fails-to-rein-in-broncos-436550.html Celtic Crusaders 6 Brisbane Broncos 32: Crusaders' commitment fails to rein in Broncos Hadfield Dave 2007-02-16 The Independent 8 February 2010 https://web.archive.org/web/20121106103113/http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/general/rugby-league/celtic-crusaders-6-brisbane-broncos-32-crusaders-commitment-fails-to-rein-in-broncos-436550.html 6 November 2012 live The warm-up watch was titled the Bulmers Original Cider Challenge. During the match, Brisbane players wore a new type of playing kit that allowed them to dry their hands during play using a chamois panel on the back of the shorts. Brisbane eventually beat Celtic 32–6 but had first been held scoreless during the opening quarter of the match. As they had brought with them only 18 players, the Broncos were worried about suffering injuries against the Crusaders. Brisbane's contingency was two players in Australia ready to fly to Britain should they be needed. If more than two injuries were suffered, the Broncos planned to borrow former Brisbane players currently with Celtic Crusaders subject to applying for and receiving the relevant permissions. Match details The Broncos were without three of their 2006 NRL grand final-winning team: star prop forward Shane Webcke had retired, utility back Casey McGuire had signed with another club, and David Stagg was also absent. St HelensPositionBrisbane Broncos1. Paul WellensFB1. Karmichael Hunt2. Ade GardnerWG2. Darius Boyd3. Matthew GidleyCE3. Brent Tate4. Willie TalauCE4. Justin Hodges5. Francis MeliWG5. Steve Michaels6. Leon PryceSO6. Darren Lockyer (c)7. Sean Long (c)SH7. Shane Perry8. Nick FozzardPR8. Dane Carlaw14. James RobyHK9. Shaun Berrigan10. Jason CaylessPR10. Petero Civoniceva11. Lee GilmourSR11. Corey Parker15. Mike BennettSR12. Brad Thorn12. Jon WilkinLF13. Tonie Carroll13. Paul SculthorpeInt.14. Sam Thaiday17. James GrahamInt.15. Greg Eastwood18. Bryn HargreavesInt.16. Ben Hannant9. Keiron CunninghamInt.17. Michael EnnisDaniel Anderson Anderson delighted by Saints win BBC Sport UK BBC 23 February 2007 https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/6391861.stm 3 August 2010CoachWayne Bennett The Broncos were the first to score when St. Helens winger Ade Gardner failed to secure a Darren Lockyer cross-field bomb close to his own try line, providing Brisbane's second-rower Corey Parker with a gift try which he went on to successfully convert. A further two points were added when a Matt Gidley tackle on Shaun Berrigan resulted in Australian referee Steve Clarke awarding a penalty to the Broncos. The Saints hit back though with a movement out wide finished off by Gardner. Paul Sculthorpe successfully adding the extra two saw a half-time scoreline of 8 - 6 in favour of the visitors. In the second half Brisbane were once again the first to score, with their captain Darren Lockyer kicking across field for winger Darius Boyd to catch the ball and get a try. St. Helens Loose forward Sculthorpe then scored a try at the other end which he also converted, levelling the score at 12 all. Another tackling infringement by Gidley brought about a penalty, which the Broncos successfully kicked, giving them a two-point lead going into the final quarter of the match. But in the seventieth minute, from twenty metres out, Sean Long put a high kick across field and Ade Garnder, leaping up over the Brisbane defence, caught the ball and came down with it over the try-line, putting the Saints in front and ensuring a tense final ten minutes. The conversion from Sculthorpe brought the score to 18 - 14 in favour of the English champions, who managed to preserve that scoreline until the final siren. Harlow Phil St Helens 18-14 Brisbane Broncos BBC Sport UK BBC 23 February 2007 https://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/6378807.stm 3 August 2010 St Helens 18 Brisbane 143 Tries:Ade Gardner (2)Paul Sculthorpe 2 Tries:Darius BoydCorey Parker 3 Goals:Paul Sculthorpe (3/3) 3 Goals:Corey Parker (3/4) Paul Sculthorpe, St. Helens returning from injury was judged to be Man-of-the-Match. The win meant a clean sweep of the trophies for St. Helens, having already won the 2006 Challenge Cup and the 2006 Super League Grand Final. References External links 2007 World Club Challenge at superleague.co.uk 2007 World Club Challenge at rugbyleagueproject.com 2007 World Club Challenge at rlphotos.com 2007 Category:Brisbane Broncos matches Category:St Helens R.F.C. matches Category:2007 in English rugby league Category:2007 in Australian rugby league Category:2007 rugby league matches