The World Club Challenge, which will be broadcast live on Sky Sports on February 24, will see NRL champions Penrith Panthers take on Wigan Warriors at DW Stadium. Watch every match of the 2024 Super League season on Sky Sports, including the Men's, Women's and Wheelchair Grand Finals
Ahead of the World Club Challenge 2024 between Wigan Warriors and Penrith Panthers, we take a closer look at some of the biggest questions surrounding this monumental fixture.
What is the World Club Challenge? Key Facts
The World Club Challenge pits the Super League champions against the NRL winners to be crowned World Rugby League champions.
Think of it like Rugby League's Champions League, where the best team from one country plays against the best team from another country. Man City vs. Inter Milan. It's Liverpool vs Real Madrid. Bayern Munich vs Paris Saint-Germain.
Is cricket more your hobby? Think of it as his one-off match between the winner of Vitality Blast and Big Bash.
80 minutes to decide who will be on top of the world.
The NRL has won the World Club Challenge 14 times and also won the Super League 14 times. That means the winner of this year's matchup will put their competitors on top.
Sydney Roosters are the most successful club having won in 1976, 2003, 2014, 2019 and 2020, while Wigan Warriors came second having won in 1987, 1991, 1994 and 2017. ing.
If Wigan Warriors can defeat Penrith Panthers on February 24th, they will move level with the Roosters on the win and lead the Super League table.
Why is the World Club Challenge important?
To understand why the World Club Challenge is so important, you need to put both competitions in context. So let's start with the NRL.
Playing in the NRL is the same as playing in the Australian Premier League. Rugby league is their main sport and if you play there you are a superstar.
Panthers star man Nathan Cleary has been named the 2023 GQ Australian Sportsperson of the Year. He's in the spotlight, so he has to perform.
For Super League, the World Club Challenge is a huge opportunity to prove that their European counterparts can beat Australia's premier competition.
The NRL is often thought to be a better standard than Super League, but as clubs have repeatedly done, the World Club Challenge is a chance to prove them wrong.
Wigan vs Penrith: Key players and statistics
Wigan have appeared in the World Club Challenge eight times, winning four of them in 1987, 1991, 1994 and 2017.
Penrith have never won the World Club Challenge three times, losing to Wigan Warriors in 1991, Bradford Bulls in 2004 and St Helens in 2023.
One of the key battles to watch will be between world-famous half-back Cleary and Wigan's Harry Smith.
Smith broke out in 2023, but his kicking game and control over the Panthers puck will be crucial if the Warriors want to come out on top in this game.
And then there are the star men, Jay Field and Dylan Edwards. The full-backs are known for their incredible speed and ability to create something out of nothing. There is a good chance that the match will be decided by a moment of brilliance from a player in the back.
We have met before: 1991 – Wigan 21-4 Penrith
The last time Wigan and Penrith met was in the 1991 World Club Challenge. The match took place on Wednesday night, this time at Anfield, where Wigan played in a stadium famous for big matches.
Wigan dominated the match as Penrith were without two of their star players, Brad Fittler and Mark Guyer. Penalties came early on the day, with Frano Botica converting four penalties to give Wigan an 8-0 lead.
Penrith responded with a try from Darren Willis, which was the last point they scored. Wigan center Sam Panapa converted before half-time and David Myers scored late on to seal victory. Wigan won 21-4 with Joe Lydon's drop goal in the closing stages.
Is the World Club Challenge important to Australian clubs?
It's impossible to ask every NRL club for their opinion on this, but if you speak to Penrith Panthers head coach Ivan Cleary, the answer is mostly yes.
“We gave it our all. It was our first game of the year and St. Helens were too good for us that night,” Cleary said, reflecting on the 2023 loss to St. Helens.
“I wish I could get another shot.
He added: “I don't think it was a surprise to us. We completely respected what they bring. They're a winning team in football and that's the way they play.”
“They definitely deserved the win. I thought they played in better conditions and took their chances.
“I was proud of how our players hung on in the second half…We struggled to create momentum. We hung on, but I don’t think we can take anything away from St. Helens. .”
“They controlled the ruck very well and came off the line very hard… probably the lead they built was the difference.”
Penrith now have another chance at world glory against St Helens' biggest rivals, Wigan. Think of it like Liverpool beating Real Madrid and then Man United playing Real Madrid the following year for the title. It's big, so whoever wins will make waves.
Why is the 2023 World Club Challenge so important?
St Helens travel to Australia and defy all expectations to beat Penrith with a Golden Point drop goal, Lewis Dodd goes down in rugby league legend and Paul Wellens completes his role as head coach of his hometown club. I got off to a good start.
To say the Saints were underdogs would be an understatement, but Canterbury Bulldogs general manager Phil Gould tweeted that Penrith could make that declaration at half-time.
This was the first win for a British team in Australia since Wigan Warriors beat the Brisbane Broncos in 1994, with Wellens' team securing a “monumental win” in the Super League match, with the Panthers This led to him traveling to England for this match. this year.
“I remember watching that Wigan team come here and beat that great Brisbane team in 1994 as a kid and thinking about the fact that a victory like that has never happened since then. And I think this is clearly a shocking result for English rugby league,'' Wellens said.
“This is a monumental win for us as a club. It's a monumental win for the English game and I'm just honored and proud to be part of such a great club and such a great team.”
“What we wanted to do was change opinions and we feel like we did that tonight.
“We hope this performance will be a catalyst for change and a catalyst for improvement on our part.”
Penrith came looking to finally get their hands on a trophy against a team rivals who had shocked them.
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