World Club Challenge
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The World Club Challenge is a Rugby League competition held annually between the winners of the Australian NRL competition and the Super League (Europe) competition.
The competition began unofficially, as a match organised sporadically between the two champions, though it has since been taken up by the authorities, and regarded as (relatively) major trophy, particularly by the British. In 1997 an expanded tournament was played with four Australian teams and four English teams. This experiment was not regarded as successful, as the Australian teams dominated the group stages, and an all-Australian final resulted. The tournament was returned to a single game, after a three-year interlude.
Theoretically the venue should rotate between England and Australia but Australia has generally either been unwilling or unable to host the challenge and so is usually held in England shortly before the start of the new season. Many people in Australia argue that the WCC thus fails to find the true world champion rugby league club as the conditions too often favour the British team.
In response, after winning the 2005 match, Leeds Rhinos coach Tony Smith and chief executive Gary Hetherington indicated that, should they be involved in the 2006 match, they would want it to be held in Australia.
Results
| 1976 | Eastern Suburbs | 25 - 2 | St Helens RFC | Sydney Cricket Ground, Sydney |
| 1987 | Wigan | 8 - 2 | Manly | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1989 | Widnes | 30 - 18 | Canberra Raiders | Old Trafford, Manchester |
| 1991 | Wigan | 21 - 4 | Penrith Panthers | Anfield, Liverpool |
| 1992 | Wigan | 8 - 22 | Brisbane Broncos | Central Park, Wigan |
| 1994 | Brisbane Broncos | 14 - 20 | Wigan | ANZ Stadium, Brisbane |
| 1997 | Brisbane Broncos | 36 - 12 | Hunter Mariners | Ericsson Stadium, Auckland |
| 2000 | St Helens RFC | 6 - 44 | Melbourne Storm | JJB Stadium, Wigan |
| 2001 | St Helens RFC | 20 - 18 | Brisbane Broncos | Reebok Stadium, Bolton |
| 2002 | Bradford Bulls | 41 - 26 | Newcastle Knights | McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield |
| 2003 | St Helens RFC | 0 - 38 | Sydney Roosters | Reebok Stadium, Bolton |
| 2004 | Bradford Bulls | 22 - 4 | Penrith Panthers | McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield |
| 2005 | Leeds Rhinos | 39 - 32 | Canterbury Bulldogs | Elland Road, Leeds |