Rugby League Carnegie World Club Challenge 2010
Leeds Rhinos Face the Melbourne Storm at Elland Road in Leeds
Oct 18, 2009
The Carnegie World Club Challenge has been contested on an annual basis since the year 2000, played mainly in England and dominated by English teams. However the current champions are the Manly Sea Eagles from Sydney. The Melbourne Storm, 2009 champions of the NRL, will challenge the Leeds Rhinos, who are champions of the European Super League for the third year in a row.
On on February 28 in 2010 they will meet in England once again at Elland Road, home of Leeds United FC. This event has developed into a key early season clash with a big crowd and intense media attention. The rivalry between Australia and England ranges across a number of sports. Rugby league is no exception.
World Club Challenge Since 2000
The one-off game has been an occasional event from 1976 up until 2000, since when it has become an annual challenge.
- 2000 Melbourne Storm 44 – 6 St Helens JJB Stadium Wigan 13,394
- 2001 St Helens 20 – 18 Brisbane Broncos Reebok Stadium Bolton 16.041
- 2002 Bradford Bulls 41 – 26 Newcastle Knights Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield 21,113
- 2003 Sydney Roosters 38 – 0 St Helens Reebok Stadium Bolton 19,807
- 2004 Bradford Bulls 22 – 4 Penrith Panthers Alfred McAlpine Stadium, Huddersfield 18,962
- 2005 Leeds Rhinos 39 – 32 Bulldogs RLFC Elland Road Leeds 37,028
- 2006 Bradford Bulls 30 -10 Wests Tigers Galpharm Stadium Huddersfield 19,207
- 2007 St Helens 18 – 14 Brisbane Broncos Reebok Stadium Bolton 23,247
- 2008 Leeds Rhinos – 11 – 4 Melbourne Storm Elland Road Leeds 33.204
- 2009 Manly Warringah Sea Eagles 28 – 20 Leeds Rhinos Elland Road, Leeds 32,569
As an early season game it has struggled to establish its credibility in the face of criticism that the teams taking part don't necessarily reflect the teams that won their respective championships in the previous year. Additionally it has been suspected that the Australians do not take it as seriously as the English.
More recently however the Australian team have made sure they have sent over a stronger team for a longer warm up tour, giving their players greater recovery time form the journey.
Leeds Rhinos and Melbourne Storm Both Want Revenge
The current World Club Challenge champions are the Australian team, the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. They defeated the Leeds Rhinos 28 - 20, but this score line flattered Leeds who were in reality lucky to come second. Leeds are a proud and close knit team team and will be eager to reclaim a trophy they take very seriously.
Equally the 33,000 fans present for the 2008 defeat by Leeds of the Melbourne Storm will remember what a ferocious encounter that was. A bitter and low scoring contest where the normally free scoring Storm were dragged into a dogfight. They will carry the bruises and the memories adding spice to an already eagerly anticipated game.
Rugby League Champions of the World
The sport of rugby league can be resistant to new ideas, the fans especially sceptical of anything they see as being gimmicky or not serious. Luckily the rugby league administrators have stuck at the concept which has allowed a tradition to grow and rivalry's to develop. This has seen an increase in crowds and media coverage and now the World Club Challenge can rightly take its place amongst the most important titles in the game.
The Leeds Rhinos and the Melbourne Storm players will as ever put there bodies on the line in order to gain the right to call themselves world champions.
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