2008 (2008) World Club Challenge  ()
Leeds Rhinos Melbourne Storm (Super League) (National Rugby League) 11 4
1 2 Total LEE 8 3 11 MEL 4 0 4
Date	29 February 2008
Stadium	Elland Road
Location	Leeds, United Kingdom
Man of the Match	Kevin Sinfield, Leeds Rhinos
Referee	Ashley Klein
Attendance	33,204
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters	Sky Sports Nine Network
Commentators	Eddie Hemmings, Mike Stephenson
< 2007 World Club Challenge 2009 >

The 2008 Carnegie World Club Challenge was contested between Super League XII champions, the Leeds Rhinos and National Rugby League season 2007 premiers, the Melbourne Storm. For the fifth consecutive year the English home team defeated their Australian counterparts.

Contents 1 Qualification 1.1 Leeds Rhinos 1.2 Melbourne Storm 2 Teams 3 Match details 4 Man of the Match 5 Significance 6 See also 7 External links 8 References

[edit] Qualification

[edit] Leeds Rhinos

Leeds Rhinos qualified through being the 2007 Super League champions, defeating St Helens 33 - 6 in the Grand Final.

[edit] Melbourne Storm

Melbourne Storm clinched the 2007 National Rugby League title in a 34 - 8 belting of Manly, earning them a place in the World Club Challenge.

Melbourne played a warm-up game against National League One team Halifax.^[1]

[edit] Teams

2008 World Club Challenge Teams

Leeds Rhinos	Positions	Melbourne Storm
Brent Webb	Fullback	Billy Slater
Lee Smith	Winger	Steve Turner
Clinton Toopi	Centre	Will Chambers
Keith Senior	Centre	Israel Folau
Scott Donald	Winger	Anthony Quinn
Danny McGuire	Stand Off / Five-eighth	Matt Geyer
Rob Burrow	Scrum Half / Halfback	Cooper Cronk (c)
Kylie Leuluai	Prop	Jeff Lima
Matt Diskin	Hooker	Jeremy Smith
Jamie Peacock	Prop	Brett White
Jamie Jones-Buchanan	2nd Row	Antonio Kaufusi
Gareth Ellis	2nd Row	Ryan Hoffman
Kevin Sinfield (c)	Loose Forward / Lock	Dallas Johnson
Ali Lauitiiti	Interchange	Russell Aitken
Carl Ablett	Interchange	Adam Blair
Nick Scruton	Interchange	Sika Manu
Ryan Bailey	Interchange	Sam Tagataese
Brian McClennan	Coach	Craig Bellamy

[edit] Match details

The match was played in wintry conditions on Friday evening, 29 February, four rounds into the 2008 Super League competition and one week before the start of NRL season 2008.

33,204 spectators turned out at Elland Road, in Leeds for a hard-fought, low-scoring match in which each side scored a try apiece, with Leeds ultimately coming out winners, due largely to the kicking of Kevin Sinfield. The win meant the English champions side defeated their Australian counterparts for the fifth consecutive year. Many experts blamed the result happened due to Melbourne Storm's loss of many key players which were: Cameron Smith (Captain, Hooker, Australian Test Player), Greg Inglis (Five-Eighth/Centre, Australian Test Player), Matt King (Centre/Wing, Australian Test Player), Ben Cross (Prop, State of Origin NSW Player) and Michael Crocker (Second-row Australian Test Player)

29 February 2008 20:00 UTC+0	Leeds Rhinos	11 - 4	Melbourne Storm	Elland Road, Leeds, United Kingdom Attendance: 33,204 Referee: Ashley Klein
	Tries: Donald 38' Goals: Sinfield (3) Drops: Sinfield	Report	Tries: Hoffman 16'

[edit] Man of the Match

Kevin Sinfield, Leeds Rhinos captain was awarded man of the match.

[edit] Significance

The victory was the fifth consecutive win by the European champions over their Australasian counterparts.

[edit] See also

World Club Challenge

[edit] External links

• 2008 World Club Challenge at superleague.co.uk
• 2008 World Club Challenge at therfl.co.uk
• 2008 World Club Challenge at rlphotos.com
• 2008 World Club Challenge at rugbyleagueproject.com

[edit] References

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