add site
services
publishers
database
health videos
toolbar
stats
live show
health store
more stuff
JOIN/LOGIN
| advertise add site services publishers database health videos
| | about toolbar stats live show health store more stuff JOIN/LOGIN |
The 2009 World Club Challenge was contested by Super League XIII champions, Leeds Rhinos, competing in their second consecutive World Club Challenge, and 2008 NRL Premiers, the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles.[1] For the first time since 2003, the Australian champions defeated their English counterparts.[2] The match featured 28 penalties and two punch-ups, with Manly's three quick tries in the first seven minutes after the break proving decisive. Leeds scored three tries of their own towards the end of the match, but by then it was too late.[3]
[edit] Qualification[edit] Leeds RhinosFurther information: 2008 Super League Grand Final Leeds Rhinos qualified through being the 2008 Super League champions, defeating St Helens 24 - 16 in the Grand Final. The Yorkshire club had already completed their first three rounds of Super League XIV before contesting the world Club Challenge, with wins in all of them. [edit] Manly-Warringah Sea EaglesFurther information: 2008 NRL Grand Final The Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles clinched the 2008 National Rugby League Premiership with a 40-0 thrashing of the Melbourne Storm - an Australian grand final record, earning them a place in the World Club Challenge. Five months later they travelled to England, while other NRL clubs were starting pre-season trial matches against one another. The week before the World Club Challenge the Sea Eagles had a warm-up match against London's Super League club, Harlequins, winning 34-26.[4] [edit] Teams
[edit] Match detailsThe last time the Sea Eagles had played in England was in the 1987 World Club Challenge, a game their coach Des Hasler played in. They lost to Wigan that night and were hoping to win their first World Club title this time around. Leeds had played in the Challenge twice before, defeating their Australian counterparts on both occasions. After their victory over the Melbourne Storm the previous year, the Rhinos were hoping to become the first team in history to win consecutive titles.
The first 20 minutes of the match were played from end to end in a very even contest. A legal tackle in the 16th minute on Leeds' pint sized scrum-half Rob Burrow knocked him out and he played no further part in the match.[5] In the 20th minute a brawl erupted, front rowers Jamie Peacock and Josh Perry the main combatants.[6] Both players were sent to the sin-bin and a penalty awarded to Manly. Sea Eagles captain Matt Orford opted to attack Leeds' line and Brett Stewart broke through the defence from dummy-half to score the first points of the match in the 21st minute.[7] Orford converted the try so Manly had a 6 nil lead. Seven minutes later the Sea Eagles were again down in the Rhinos' half when Orford put a short ball onto the chest of a flying Anthony Watmough from 30 metres out to race through the defence and score. Orford's conversion pushed the Australian club's lead out to 12 nil. In the 37th minute Leeds were just into Manly's half when they kicked ahead, regathered and got the ball to Danny McGuire who made it over the line but had the ball stripped from his grasp by Matt Orford in a one-on-one tackle before he could ground it. Jamie Jones-Buchanan was there to press the ball to the turf though, so the try was given by the video referee. Kevin Sinfield missed the relatively easy conversion, so Leeds were down 4-12. The score did not change during the remaining few minutes of the half. In the 3rd minute of the second half Manly made a break from the half way line, getting the ball out to the right wing, but a stray pass was not secured by the Leeds defence and Brett Stewart picked the ball up to race away and score his second try.[8] Orford missed the conversion, so the score was 16-4 in favour of the visiting team. The Sea Eagles scored again moments later as they were returning the ball from the kick-off. Michael Robertson made a break down the right wing and kicked ahead for Brett Stewart who came close to scoring before being brought down. This then gave Watmough the chance to score his second try from first receiver before Leeds' defence could regather. Orford kicked the extras so Manly had gotten away to a 22-4 lead. when returning the following kick-off as well the Sea Eagles scored again, this time when a break was made from 70 metres out with good support, the ball going to Steve Matai to get the try. Orford missed the conversion so Manly led 26-4 with only 7 minutes of the second half gone. In the 64th minute, after Leeds got repeat sets of six down near Manly's line, they moved the ball from one side of the field out to the other, a quick no-look pass from Ali Lautiiti sending Keith Senior over the line. Sinfield kicked the extras so the Rhinos were down 16 points with fifteen minutes remaining.[9] After 71 and a half minutes, 30 metres out from Manly's line, Lautiiti made a run from dummy-half down the left side and threw another deft no-look pass to Ryan Hall who scored in the corner. Sinfield's kick from the sideline bounced through off one of the posts, so Leeds were 10 points down with seven minutes of the match remaining. Another fight broke out in the 75th minute and again Leeds were penalised. The Sea Eagles opted to take the kick for goal, which Orford did successfully. This made their lead 12 points with only 3 minutes remaining. Leeds got one more try in the final minute of the game, Keith Senior making a break from 60 metres out down the left wing before finding Danny McGuire in support to score in the corner seconds before the final hooter. Sinfield's sideline conversion attempt was missed, so the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles had won the World Club Challenge for the first time, by a score of 28-20. Second-rower Anthony Watmough was named man-of-the-match. [edit] Significance
[edit] See also[edit] References
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ↑ top of page ↑ | about thumbshots |
