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English Champions St Helens have held off a resurgent Penrith Panthers side to win the World Club Challenge in golden point, 13-12.
After keeping the back-to-back NRL champions scoreless heading into the second half, the Panthers lodged a stunning comeback to even the match at the final siren.
But, it wasn’t meant to be as St Helens halfback Lewis Dodd drilled the all-important field goal to claim bragging rights in the annual rugby league competition.
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“It is just unbelievable mate… everyone was writing us off,” Dodd told Fox League post-match.
St Helens opened the scoring through fullback Jack Welsby.
Moments later, former NRL star Konrad Hurrell charged over the try line from 10 metres out to extend the English challengers’ lead.
Lightning briefly kept the players in the sheds at BlueBet Stadium as a thunderstorm rolled over Penrith, creating unsafe conditions for the teams to return to the field.
It took 52 minutes for the Panthers to score – the breakthrough coming off the back of a chased down kick from halfback Nathan Cleary to centre Izack Tago.
With under two minutes left in the second half, Brian To’o was able to will himself over the line as Jack Welsby dropped a Stephen Crichton bomb – breaking the hearts of thousands of St Helens fans’ in the process.
Cleary scored the critical conversion from 10 metres in from the sideline, in slippery conditions, to even the score at 12-12 and force golden point.
During extra time, Crichton dropped the ball in a tackle during Penrith’s second set – the penalty setting St Helens up in the perfect field position to launch an attack.
Dodd was then able to kick his side to victory.
“Dodd has won the World Club Challenge for St Helens, if you have any doubts what it means, have a look at the reaction from the St Helens players,” Andrew Voss said in commentary for Fox League.
The victory marks St Helens’ third World Club Challenge title.
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