The southern hemisphere demonstrated once again that it rules the game of Rugby league, after all three of the Super League teams involved in action over the weekend lost to their Australian opposition. The biggest losers proved to be the reigning Super League title holders, St Helens, who were thrashed in the World Club Challenge by the South Sydney Rabbitohs 39-0 on home soil at Langtree Park. Both the Wigan Warriors and Warrington Wolves also lost their World Club Series games against the Brisbane Broncos and St George Illawarra, respectively, although both games were competitive right to the final whistle.
The World Club Challenge is an annual match played between the champion clubs from both the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League, and this year's game had been expected to be a close battle, especially with the tie being played on English soil. The reality was far different, as South Sydney seemed to be inspired by the presence of their co-owner, the Hollywood actor Russell Crowe, as they pulled the Saints apart at will to record a record victory for the fixture. Maximus himself would have been proud of the way that the Australian champions tore into their rivals, scoring a try within the first two minutes through Glenn Stewart.
It proved to be the first of many scores as the Rabbitohs ran amok and benefited from seemingly every lucky bounce of the (odd shaped) rugby ball.
It was over as a contest by half-time, as the visitors already lead by 24-0, despite Saints pressing the Aussie side's line on several occasions, but being denied two tries after reference to video replays. As it was, South Sydney took every chance that they were offered and many more they created themselves through their lively play, running in a total of seven tries to nil on the night.
To add insult to injury, they even added a cheeky single point drop goal right at the death through Adam Reynolds, instead of searching for another try. Their illustrious try scorers besides Stewart were Dylan Walker, Greg Inglis, Joel Reddy (two), Luke Keary and Chris McQueen. Reynolds landed five kicks to complete the rout.
