View source for 2000 World Club Challenge

{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2020}}
{{Infobox rugby league football match
|year         = 2000
|title        = World Club Challenge
|image        = Wigan athletics dw stadium.jpg
|imagesize    = 250px
|caption      = The [[DW Stadium|JJB Stadium]] hosted the match 
|alt          = 
|home         = [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]]
|away         = [[Melbourne Storm]]
|home_league  = [[Super League|SL]]
|away_league  = [[National Rugby League|NRL]]
|home_abbr    = ST H {{leagueicon|St Helens|16}}
|away_abbr    = MEL {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}}
|home_half1   = 2
|home_half2   = 4
|home_total   = 6
|away_half1   = 20
|away_half2   = 24
|away_total   = 44
|date         = 22 January 2000
|stadium      = [[JJB Stadium]]
|location     = [[Wigan]], [[England]]
|MoM_title    = [[Man of the Match]]
|MoM          = [[Brett Kimmorley]] {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}}
|anthem_title = 
|anthem       = 
|anthem2_title=
|anthem2      =
|referee      = [[Stuart Cummings]] {{flagicon|ENG}}
|attendance   = 13,394
|network      = {{Flagicon|GBR}} [[Sky Sports]] 
|network2     = <!-- {{Flagicon|AUS}} confirm broadcaster -->
|commentators = [[Eddie Hemmings (rugby league)|Eddie Hemmings]]
|commentators2= [[Mike Stephenson]]
|commentators3= 
|tournaments  = [[World Club Challenge]]
|last         = [[1997 World Club Championship|1997]]
|next         = [[2001 World Club Challenge|2001]]
}}
The '''2000 [[World Club Challenge]]''' was contested by [[1999 NRL season]] premiers, the [[Melbourne Storm]] and 1999's [[Super League IV]] champions, [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]]. The match was played on 22 January at [[JJB Stadium]], Wigan before a crowd of 13,394. The Melbourne Storm defeated St Helens 44 - 6.<ref name="Fairfax_BrisbaneTimes_Sport_21Feb2008">{{cite news|url=http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/news/sport/storm-warning-on-world-club-challenge/2008/02/21/1203467240176.html|title=Storm warning on World Club Challenge|date=21 February 2008|publisher=[[Fairfax Media|Brisbane Times]]|access-date=19 March 2010}}</ref> This was the first World Club Challenge since [[1997 World Club Championship|1997]] and the [[Super League war]].

==Background==
===St Helens===
{{Details|1999 Super League Grand Final}}
The [[1999 Super League Grand Final]] was the conclusive and championship-deciding game of the [[Super League IV]] season. The match was played between English clubs [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] and [[Bradford Bulls]] on Saturday 9 October 1999, at [[Old Trafford (football ground)|Old Trafford]], Manchester, UK.{{fact|date=June 2020}}

===Melbourne Storm===
{{Details|1999 NRL Grand Final}}
The [[1999 NRL Grand Final]] was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the [[1999 NRL season]]. It was contested by the competition's two newest clubs: the [[Melbourne Storm]], competing in only its second year (having finished the regular season in 3rd place); and the [[St George Illawarra Dragons]], in their first year as a joint-venture club (having finished the regular season in 6th place), after both sides eliminated the rest of the top eight during the finals.{{fact|date=June 2020}}

A new rugby league world record crowd of 107,999 was at [[Stadium Australia]] for the game. The attendance, which saw 67,142 more people attend than had done so for the [[1998 NRL Grand Final]] at the [[Sydney Football Stadium (1988)|Sydney Football Stadium]], broke the record attendance for a Grand Final, eclipsing the previous record of 78,065 set in [[1965 NSWRFL season#Finals|1965]]. After trailing 0-14 at half time, the Melbourne Storm defeated the [[St George Illawarra Dragons]] 20-18.<ref>{{cite web|title=1999 NRL Grand Final|url=http://www.rugbyleagueproject.org/seasons/nrl-1999/grand-final/melbourne-vs-st-george-illawarra/summary.html|website=rugbyleagueproject.org|publisher=Shawn Dollin, Andrew Ferguson and Bill Bates|access-date=15 June 2016}}</ref>

==Venue==
With the game set to be played in [[England]], the [[Rugby Football League]] chose [[Wigan Warriors|Wigan]]'s home venue, the [[JJB Stadium]] which could hold 25,333, as the host venue in preference to St Helens' home ground of [[Knowsley Road]] which could only hold 17,500.{{fact|date=June 2020}}

==Teams==
Both teams were missing players following their 1999 victories. [[Anthony Sullivan (rugby)|Anthony Sullivan]], [[Vila Matautia]] and [[Keiron Cunningham]] were notable absences for St Helens through injury,<ref name="BurkeReport"/><ref name="HadfieldReport">{{cite news |last1=Hadfield |first1=Dave |title=Melbourne have the power to shine in showpiece |work=The Independent |date=22 January 2000 |location=London, United Kingdom |page=25}}</ref> with Melbourne missing their retired former captain [[Glenn Lazarus]], and the injured [[Matt Geyer]], [[Rodney Howe]] and [[Ben Roarty]].<ref name="MascordReport"/>

The match was played with four interchange players with a maximum of eight substitutions after agreement was reached between the two clubs.<ref name="HadfieldReport"/> At the time the NRL competition had unlimited substitutions with four players on the interchange bench.
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{| width="100%"
|valign="top" width="50%"|
{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0"
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
|FB ||'''1'''||[[Paul Atcheson]]
|-
|LW ||'''2'''||[[Chris Smith (rugby league, born 1975)|Chris Smith]]
|-
|RC ||'''3'''||[[Paul Newlove]]
|-
|LC ||'''4'''||[[Kevin Iro]]
|-
|RW ||'''15'''||[[Sean Hoppe]]
|-
|SO ||'''20'''||[[Tommy Martyn]]
|-
|SH ||'''7'''||[[Sean Long]] 
|-
|PR ||'''10'''||[[Julian O'Neill (New Zealand rugby league)|Julian O'Neill]]
|-
|HK ||'''17'''||[[Paul Wellens]]
|-
|PR ||'''12'''||[[Sonny Nickle]]
|-
|SR ||'''11'''||[[Chris Joynt]] ([[Captain (sports)|c]])
|-
|SR ||'''18'''||[[Bryan Henare]]
|-
|LF ||'''13'''||[[Paul Sculthorpe]]
|-
|colspan=3|'''Substitutions:'''
|-
|IC ||'''8'''||[[Apollo Perelini]]
|-
|IC ||'''14'''||[[Freddie Tuilagi|Fereti Tuilagi]]
|-
|IC ||'''19'''||[[Anthony Stewart (rugby league)|Anthony Stewart]]
|-
|IC ||'''26'''||[[John Stankevitch]]
|-
|colspan=3|'''Coach:'''
|-
|colspan="4"|{{flagicon|ENG}} [[Ellery Hanley]]
|}
|valign="top" width="50%"|
{| style="font-size: 90%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="0" align="center"
|-
!width="25"| !!width="25"|
|-
|FB ||'''1'''||[[Robbie Ross (rugby league)|Robbie Ross]]
|-
|RW ||'''2'''||[[Brad Watts]]
|-
|RC ||'''3'''||[[Aaron Moule]]
|-
|LC ||'''4'''||[[Tony Martin (rugby league)|Tony Martin]]
|-
|LW ||'''5'''||[[Marcus Bai]]
|-
|FE ||'''6'''||[[Scott Hill (rugby league)|Scott Hill]]
|-
|HB ||'''7'''||[[Brett Kimmorley]]
|-
|PR ||'''8'''||[[Wayne Evans (rugby league)|Wayne Evans]]
|-
|HK ||'''9'''||[[Richard Swain]]
|-
|PR ||'''10'''||[[Robbie Kearns]] ([[Captain (sports)|c]])
|-
|SR ||'''11'''||[[Paul Marquet]]
|-
|SR ||'''12'''||[[Stephen Kearney]]
|-
|LK ||'''13'''||[[Matt Rua]]
|-
|colspan=3|'''Substitutions:'''
|-
|IC ||'''14'''||[[Danny Williams (rugby league born 1973)|Danny Williams]]
|-
|IC ||'''15'''||[[Tasesa Lavea]]
|-
|IC ||'''16'''||[[Russell Bawden]]
|-
|IC ||'''18'''||[[Dane Morgan]]
|-
|colspan=3|'''Coach:'''
|-
|colspan="4"|{{flagicon|AUS}} [[Chris Anderson (rugby league)|Chris Anderson]]
|}
|}
==Match summary==
Melbourne started strongly with halfback [[Brett Kimmorley]] sending [[Aaron Moule]] into a gap in the St Helens defence to score a try in the fifth minute. The NRL premiers extending their lead to 10–0 in just the 11th minute following a try to [[Wayne Evans (rugby league)|Wayne Evans]]. St Helens lost centre [[Kevin Iro]] to a thigh injury during the first half, while captain [[Chris Joynt]] was feeling the effects of the flu and did not return after half time.<ref name="MascordReport"/><ref name="BurkeReport"/> The hosts first points coming via a penalty goal to [[Sean Long]] after a high tackle by [[Scott Hill (rugby league)|Scott Hill]].<ref name="WilsonReport">{{cite news |last1=Wilson |first1=Andy |title=St Helens feel force of Storm |work=The Observer |date=23 January 2000 |location=London, United Kingdom |page=10}}</ref>

The Storm would dominate the latter stages of the first half, scoring tries through [[Marcus Bai]] in the 30th minute, and Hill just before the break to take a 20–2 lead.<ref name="WilsonReport"/>

Storm forwards [[Danny Williams (rugby league born 1973)|Danny Williams]] and [[Dane Morgan]] were forced to deny allegations of eye-gouging raised by Saints stand-off [[Tommy Martyn]] stemming from an incident in the 48th minute.<ref name="BurkeSMReport">{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=David |title=STORM LASHES SINKING SAINTS |work=Sunday Mirror |date=23 January 2000 |location=London, United Kingdom |page=73}}</ref> Martyn lodged a formal complaint with referee [[Stuart Cummings]], with both players later not charged by match officials.<ref name="MascordReport">{{cite news |last1=Mascord |first1=Steve |title=Anderson's men at eye of storm after record victory |work=The Sydney Morning Herald |date=24 January 2000 |location=Sydney, New South Wales |page=24}}</ref>

Melbourne led by man of the match [[Brett Kimmorley]]<ref name="BurkeSMReport"/> ripped apart St Helens after the break, scoring a further try through [[Dane Morgan]] in his first game for the club, with Hill scoring his second try for the night, backing up some brilliant passing from [[Stephen Kearney]] and [[Robbie Ross (rugby league)|Robbie Ross]].<ref name="WilsonReport"/> The fullback would score the first of his two tries soon after.

New Zealand international [[Sean Hoppe]] scored a late try for St Helens eight minutes from full time,<ref name="BurkeReport">{{cite news |last1=Burke |first1=David |title=TOM'S EYE FURY CAN'T HIDE BRITS' FLOP |work=The Mirror |date=24 January 2000 |location=London, United Kingdom |page=41}}</ref> but it was mere consolation, with Melbourne scoring their eighth try a few minutes later to take the final score to 44–6, the widest margin in the history of the previous editions of the World Club Challenge.<ref name="BurkeReport"/>

Despite the final margin, St Helens coach [[Ellery Hanley]] claimed after the match that Melbourne were "not a better side than us at all, although the scoreline says they were. We just didn't defend and stop their offloads."<ref name="MascordReport"/> Melbourne coach [[Chris Anderson (rugby league)|Chris Anderson]] was quoted that he "expected a hard game. It was a new style of football for St Helens and they struggled."<ref name="MascordReport"/>
===Scoreboard===
{{Rugbyleaguebox 
|bg = #eeeeee 
|event=2000 World Club Challenge
|date = Saturday, 22 January
|time = 18:00 [[Greenwich Mean Time|GMT]] ([[UTC+0]])
|team1 = [[St Helens R.F.C.|St. Helens]] {{leagueicon|St Helens|16}}
|team2 = {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} [[Melbourne Storm]]
|score = 6 – 44 
|1sthalf = 2–20
|2ndhalf = 4–24
|report = [https://web.archive.org/web/20011222161353/http://www.superleague.co.uk/worldclub/2000.asp Report]
|try1 = '''1'''<br>[[Sean Hoppe|Hoppe]] {{try|72}}
|goal1 = '''1'''<br>[[Sean Long|Long]] {{kick|pen 20}}<!-- If anyone has the full replay of this match, the penalty goal occurs sometime between the 12th and 29th minute --> {{small|(1/2)}}
|try2 = '''8'''<br>[[Scott Hill (rugby league)|Hill]] {{try|39|57}}<br>[[Robbie Ross (rugby league)|Ross]] {{try|66|75}}<br>[[Aaron Moule|Moule]] {{try|5}}<br>[[Wayne Evans (rugby league)|Evans]] {{try|11}}<br>[[Marcus Bai|Bai]] {{try|30}}<br>[[Dane Morgan|Morgan]] {{try|50}}
|goal2 = '''6'''<br>[[Brad Watts|Watts]] {{kick|11|40|51|57|66|75}} {{small|(6/8)}}
|stadium = [[JJB Stadium]], [[Wigan]]
|attendance = 13,394 
| manofmatch = [[Brett Kimmorley]] {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}}
| referee    = [[Stuart Cummings]] {{flagicon|ENG}}
}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{World Club Challenge}}
{{Melbourne Storm - 2000 World Club Challenge winners}}
{{Melbourne Storm}}
{{2000 in rugby league}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:World Club Challenge}}
[[Category:World Club Challenge|2000]]
[[Category:Melbourne Storm matches]]
[[Category:St Helens R.F.C. matches]]
[[Category:2000 in English rugby league]]
[[Category:2000 in Australian rugby league]]
[[Category:2000 rugby league matches]]