The hot and stormy night of February 18th, 2023 will forever be etched into the minds of every St Helens fan. And rightly so, as their team had travelled to the Southern Hemisphere, beat the Penrith Panthers and were deservedly crowned the World Club Challenge champions.
In essence, to be the best, you must beat the best, and they did just that. What is more, they did it with all the qualities that make up a true champion – grit, determination, guile, resilience and a belief that nothing would take away their focus from achieving their goal.
Many fans in Australia believed this was not only just a pre-season game but also a fait accompli. However, the more ardent rugby league fan would be aware of the achievements of St Helens – winning the four past Super League titles and historically being one of the most successful teams in the English game. And for these fans, watching the excellence of James Roby, the strength of Alex Walmsley, and the excitement of Jack Welsby was already enough to make them want to tune in.
Not only this, but if you add the skills of Morgan Knowles and Johnny Lomax, the finishing touches of Tommy Makinson and the professionalism that is etched across the team, then for the true believer of rugby league, this was a game that was going to be more challenging than many pundits gave the match credit.
Yet, it is undeniable to the general and hardcore fan alike what a monumental challenge awaited this great St Helens side. The Penrith Panthers came into the game with confidence, and rightfully so. The club had won the two previous NRL premierships and was littered with players who recently represented and featured prominently at the highest level at the World Cup. Moreover, the game was to be played at their home ground in front of their loyal fan base.
The setting was perfect for the Penrith Panthers to finally achieve World Champion status.
One must wonder if divine intervention takes hold in moments like this. If it was a film, it could not have been better scripted. The suffocating heat of the day gave rise to a storm where lightning flashed in the sky and thunder bellowed in the distance, and as the heavens opened, the two heavyweight champions engaged in battle.
One only needs to watch the opening kickoff to understand the ferocity of this contest. The game marched on, but it did not take long for a true champion to show his class. In the eighth minute, an intelligent scoot by Roby and skilful passing by Lomax saw the defensive line of the Panthers open. When Curtis Sironen drew in the fullback and offloaded, it allowed Welsby to post the first points of the evening.
It is rare to see long-range tries scored against Penrith.
The second try was equally surprising. Not for the distance at which it was scored but for the ease it appeared to happen. Once more, Roby and Welsby were involved, and their skill allowed Konrad Hurrell to use his strength to beat the defenders and make his way to the line. Isaah Yeo is an elite Australian representative player, yet the movement of this attack made his attempt to tackle Hurrell meaningless, and now Penrith found themselves down 10 – nil.
Naturally, St Helens didn’t have it all their way. Tommy Makinson left the field for an HIA and didn’t return. Thankfully, Louis McCarthy-Scarsbrook, who also left the field for an HIA, was given the all-clear. Penrith also had injury troubles, but they still found time to threaten the Saints line. Taylan May broke through but stumbled after a try-saving attempt by Welsby, where Lomax came in cover support and finished the tackle.
Also, a notable mention was when Nathan Cleary came ridiculously close and would have scored had it not been for the last efforts of Welsby, who managed to get his legs under the ball. Again, this desperation signified the Saints intent. At the end of the half, Penrith had been denied points, and they went into sheds down by 10.
The second half continued the theme of the first half, where errors plagued the Penrith side. Whether it was the late hit on Lomax by Cleary or an offside at the scrum – a penalty ensued, and a Mark Percival penalty kick as lightning flashed in the background gave the Saints a two-try buffer — a buffer they would desperately need.
There is a reason the Penrith Panthers are NRL champions, and they showed their class with their opening try. The measured kick by Cleary perfectly illustrated his ability to read a team’s defence. Though Welsby tried to make the cover, it would not be enough to deny Izack Tago from scoring. With just under 30 minutes to go, the game now stood at 12-6, and it was still there for Penrith to win.
Then something strange happened. St Helens did not wilt. They did not buckle under pressure. If anything, Penrith failed to match the intensity or the ball security required to dominate. As such, the game was in its final ten minutes when St Helens went for their first drop goal. Strangely, they went wide to Lomax, who fluffed the kick wide to the right. Again, with just over three minutes to play, St Helens set up right in front and, inexplicably, gave away a penalty with their drop goal attempt. Although the kick attempt by Lewis Dodd had been deflected to the left, players had needlessly positioned a wall to stop the possible charge down.
For some reason when English teams play Australian teams – at the international level or club level – there is a habit of losing games when victory is in sight. These defeats usually happen in the last quarter of the game, and the most memorable moments occur in the dying stages.
It looked like it was going to happen again.
St Helens had failed to deliver the knockout blow, so when Stephen Crichton placed a ‘Hail Mary’ bomb down the throat of Welsby, hearts stopped. If he catches the ball and the team completes a safe set of six, the game is over, but a drop and what could happen… happened. Brian To’o scored a try to set up a scintillating finish, and with Cleary’s conversion, the game was sent to golden point.
For all rugby league fans, the occurrence of an English team losing so close to victory was happening once again. However, it seems there has been something brewing in the northern English town of St Helens – a tenacity that no one expected to see. Crichton is a class player but, in extra time, fell victim to a textbook tackle. A tackle that shook the ball loose and gave St Helens and Lewis Dodd a perfect chance to make history.
This time, his 20-metre drop kick did not miss.
Some Penrith fans may lament their ball handling and error rate, but with due credit to St Helens, some of those errors were forced by their rugged defence. Still, the diehard Panthers fans may claim that they were underprepared. This notion disregards the point that so too, were St Helens.
The Penrith Panthers are a class outfit, this truth cannot be denied. They are rightfully one of the favourites to once again take out the NRL title in 2023. Yet, on this night, when they faced the champions of the English game, they came up short. The better team on the night won.
As a neutral fan, it was a pleasure to see St Helens win under the leadership of club legend Paul Wellens. It appears his skills as a player is transitioning to skills as a coach and mentor of men. On top of this, it was a nice gesture to have Kristian Wolff present, considering it was under his coaching that they were in this position in the first place.
For pure joy, one only needs to witness the celebrations of the team, the support staff and ownership after the drop-goal victory to appreciate the magnitude of the win. No doubt, for the Saints players, fans and management, this game will never be forgotten.
What is undeniable, it was a game worthy of the contest, and with St Helens being victorious over the Penrith Panthers 13-12, they are now World Club Champions.
As a South Sydney fan, well done and congratulations St Helens.
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