2008 World Club Challenge

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.

2008 (2008) World Club Challenge  ()
Leeds Rhinos Melbourne Storm
(Super League) (National Rugby League)
11 4
12 Total
LEE 83 11
MEL 40 4
Date29 February 2008
StadiumElland Road
LocationLeeds, United Kingdom
Kevin Sinfield
RefereesAshley Klein
Attendance33,204
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters
Commentators

Qualification

Leeds Rhinos
Further information: 2007 Super League Grand Final

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

Melbourne Storm
Further information: 2007 NRL Grand Final

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]

Teams
2008 World Club Challenge Teams
Leeds Rhinos Position 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

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
Tries:
Scott Donald 38'
Goals:
Kevin Sinfield (3)
Field Goals:
Kevin Sinfield		 Report Tries:
Ryan Hoffman 16'
Goals:
Elland Road, Leeds
Attendance: 33,204
Referee: Ashley Klein
Man of the Match: Kevin Sinfield

See also

World Club Challenge

References
  1. "Quins to warm up Storm". Sky Sports. 12 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
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