- Matt Peet’s Warriors beat the Aussies in thrilling fashion at a sold-out DW Stadium
- They are now the most successful joint team in the history of the World Club Challenge.
- It comes a year after St Helens shocked NRL premiers Penrith.
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
Wigan were crowned world champions for a record fifth time after becoming the last English team to tame the Panthers.
A year after St Helens stunned NRL premiers Penrith in their own backyard, Matt Peet’s Warriors defeated the Aussies in thrilling fashion at a sold-out DW Stadium. And it means Wigan are now the joint-most successful team in the history of the World Club Challenge, tying with Sydney Roosters.
The Warriors’ historic victory in the annual battle between the Super League and NRL champions was only sealed by the horn.
Penrith’s Taylan May looked to have broken the home side’s hearts but referee Liam Moore ruled he had been stopped on the line by Adam Keighran and Abbas Miski, video referee Chris Kendall confirmed, sending DW to dreamland.
This result was also another achievement for his magnificent coach Peet, who in just two and a half years at the helm of DW has completed the Challenge Cup, League Leaders’ Shield, Grand Final and World Club Challenge trophy series.
Wigan were crowned world champions for a record fifth time on Saturday
The Warriors are now the joint-most successful team in World Club Challenge history.
Their victory comes a year after St Helens shocked NRL premiers Penrith.
Having witnessed some of the greatest nights in Wigan’s history as a boyhood fan, he has now recaptured those glory days as boss.
“It’s nights like this that we look forward to and we’re going to have many more,” Peet said. ‘I couldn’t be more proud of my players. Tonight it was going to take a special effort to surpass ourselves because we wanted it so much. We have to take advantage of this now.”
Despite having home advantage, Wigan were underdogs against the mighty Panthers, who became the first team in NRL history to claim three consecutive premierships last October. But Peet’s team were undeterred and he scored the first try of the game in just the ninth minute through Miski.
The two teams exchanged three more tries in the first half, with Nathan Clearly and Dylan Edwards crossing for Penrith either side of Kruise Leeming’s score to give the visitors a 12-10 half-time lead.
However, Wigan took the lead in the 53rd minute when Jake Wardle collected a kick from Jai Field, who the referees said had knocked down the ball.
Matt Peet has now completed the trophy set for the Challenge Cup, League Leaders Shield, Grand Final and World Club Challenge.
The end was nervous for the locals, but they managed to hold on to the match and lift the trophy.
It was a nervy finish for the hosts as Field brilliantly denied May in the corner with a tackle into touch, then French had a try disallowed for offside.
But victory was finally achieved thanks to that decision at the moment of death: “We are the champions” echoed in DW.