2010 World Club Challenge
| 2010 World Club Challenge | |||||||||||||
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| 2010 World Club Challenge logo | |||||||||||||
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| Date | 28 February 2010 | ||||||||||||
| Stadium | Elland Road | ||||||||||||
| Location | Leeds, West Yorkshire, England | ||||||||||||
| Cameron Smith, Melbourne | |||||||||||||
| Referee | Richard Silverwood (England) | ||||||||||||
| Attendance | 27,697 | ||||||||||||
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The 2010 World Club Challenge (known as the Gillette World Club Challenge due to sponsorship by Gillette Fusion[1]) was a rugby league tournament contested by Super League XIV champions, Leeds Rhinos, and 2009 NRL Premiers the Melbourne Storm. This was Leeds' third consecutive appearance in the World Club Challenge, and the second appearance in three years for Melbourne. Melbourne and Leeds previously played each other in the 2008 World Club Challenge with Leeds winning that match 11 - 4.
Melbourne Storm won the game 18-10;[2] however later in the year were stripped of the title (as well as its 2009 NRL premiership and other titles) after the club was found guilty of salary cap breaches. The prize money was redistributed to Leeds, but the title of World Club Champion was not.[3]
Background
Leeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos qualified through being the 2009 Super League champions, defeating St Helens RLFC 18–10 in the Grand Final.
Melbourne Storm
Melbourne Storm qualified by being crowned the 2009 National Rugby League premiers with a 23–16 defeat of the Parramatta Eels, in the NRL Grand Final. This premiership was later stripped from the Storm due to salary cap breaches.
The Storm, despite being stripped of their two premerships, were initially allowed to keep the World Club Challenge title, including the trophy and prize money they won; however, on May 11, 2011, a final report released further detailing the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal recommended the Storm be stripped of the 2010 World Club Challenge.[3] In addition the prize money won was redistributed to Leeds.
Warm-up match
Melbourne played a warm-up game against the Harlequins Rugby League Super League team at the Twickenham Stoop.[4] The match took place on Sunday 21 February - a week before the Storm played for the world title.[5] The event was dubbed the World City Challenge – London Series.[6] Melbourne were without Cooper Cronk, Brett White and Ryan Tandy, with both sides giving a number of youngsters a taste of first-team action.[7]
21 February 2010
14:00 GMT |
Harlequins RL 
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10–34 |  Melbourne Storm
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|---|---|---|
| Tries: Ben Jones-Bishop, Will Sharp Goals: Danny Orr |
(Report) |
Tries: Anthony Quinn, Kevin Proctor, Dane Nielsen (2), Hep Cahill, Rory Kostjaysn Goals: Gareth Widdop (5) |
The Stoop
Attendance: 3,612 |
Teams
 Leeds Rhinos
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positions | Melbourne Storm
|
|---|---|---|
| Brent Webb | Fullback | Billy Slater |
| Kallum Watkins | Wing | Luke MacDougall |
| Keith Senior | Centre | Greg Inglis |
| Brett Delaney | Centre | Dane Nielsen |
| Ryan Hall | Wing | Anthony Quinn |
| Danny McGuire | Stand Off / Five-eighth | Brett Finch |
| Rob Burrow | Scrum Half / Halfback | Cameron Smith |
| Jamie Jones-Buchanan | Prop | Aiden Tolman |
| Matt Diskin | Hooker | Ryan Hinchcliffe |
| Jamie Peacock | Prop | Jeff Lima |
| Ian Kirke | 2nd Row | Adam Blair |
| Kylie Leuluai | 2nd Row | Ryan Hoffman |
| Kevin Sinfield | Loose Forward / Lock | Todd Lowrie |
| Ali Lauitiiti | Interchange | Kevin Proctor |
| Greg Eastwood | Interchange | Rory Kostjaysn |
| Danny Buderus | Interchange | Hep Cahill |
| Ryan Bailey | Interchange | Jesse Bromwich |
| Brian McClennan | Coach | Craig Bellamy |
Match details
28 February 2010
18:30 GMT |
| Leeds Rhinos
|
10–18 | Melbourne Storm
|
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Danny Maguire Goals: Kevin Sinfield, Rob Burrow (2) |
(Report) |
Tries: Luke MacDougall, Anthony Quinn Goals: Cameron Smith (5) |
Elland Road
Attendance: 27,697 Referee: Richard Silverwood (England) Player of the Match: Cameron Smith |
First half
Leeds almost scored early in the first half when Brent Webb ran over but he was held up by Luke MacDougall on the last tackle. Soon after they posted the first points with a penalty goal to captain Kevin Sinfield. Soon after Melbourne drew level with a penalty goal of their own through captain Cameron Smith. After Sinfield left the field with an injury, Rob Burrow kicked another penalty goal, leaving them two points in front. Smith then leveled the score again with the fourth consecutive penalty goal. The half ended with the scored tied 4-all.
2nd Half
Later in the match, Smith attempted a grubber kick which landed in the path of Danny McGuire, who ran down the length of the field to score the first try. Burrow's conversion pushed the margin out to six. Melbourne responded with MacDougall who scored in the right corner. Despite the tough angle, Smith made the conversion. Kallum Watkins nearly scored in the right corner, but dropped the ball. Anthony Quinn's try, put the sealing on the game with Storm winning 18-10.
Man of the Match
The Man of the Match was awarded to Cameron Smith from the Melbourne Storm.
References
- ^ "Gillette Fusion to sponsor 2010 World Club Challenge". Super League. 2009-11-20. Archived from the original on 27 November 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2009.
{{cite web}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ "Leeds 10-18 Melbourne". BBC Sport. 2010-02-28. Archived from the original on 1 March 2010. Retrieved 2010-03-01.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ a b NRL report recommends Waldron ban - NRL.com
- ^ "Quins to warm up Storm". Sky Sports. 12 November 2009. Archived from the original on 7 January 2010. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help) - ^ Staff writers (12 November 2009). "Quins announce Melbourne Storm match". inthenews.co.uk. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
- ^ "LondonRL launch sponsorship initiative". London RL. Retrieved 9 December 2009.
- ^ "Storm short for Rhinos test". Sky Sports. 9 December 2009. Archived from the original on 13 December 2009. Retrieved 12 December 2009.
{{cite news}}: Unknown parameter|deadurl=ignored (|url-status=suggested) (help)