2024 World Club Challenge Preview

2024 will see reigning Super League Champions Wigan Warriors host NRL Premiers Penrith Panthers on Saturday 24 February, at the DW Stadium, in a hotly-anticipated and sell-out World Club Challenge clash. But who will be crowned World Club Champions in this showpiece event?

It's World Club Challenge week! ???#SkyRL | @WiganWarriorsRL pic.twitter.com/4noFN4QUBj
— Sky Sports Rugby League (@SkySportsRL) February 19, 2024

Background:

The Warriors defeated Catalans Dragons 10-2 in the Betfred Super League Grand Final to become Champions in October, whilst Penrith Panthers emerged victorious over the Brisbane Broncos in the NRL Grand Final and claimed their third consecutive title win - setting up this enticing and mouth-watering 'Clash of the Champions.'

Penrith will be looking to claim their first ever World Club Challenge's title in the club's history but will also be seeking retribution following their crushing defeat to St Helens in 2023's World Club Challenge, when Saints clinched a dramatic golden-point victory, over on Penrith's home territory.

Australian sides have won seven of the last nine World Club Challenge meetings, although Penrith are yet to join this statistic, but could this all be set to change? Wigan, on the other hand, have claimed the title on four occasions - in 1987, 1991, 1993 and most recently in 2017 against Cronulla Sharks.

A win for the Warriors would be their fifth in total, having had nine attempts at becoming World Club Champions, whereas a victory for Penrith would be their first, as they are set to feature in their fourth World Club Challenge appearance.

The only previous meeting of Wigan and Penrith came 32 years ago at Anfield, with Wigan triumphing 21-4.

The Warriors:

The Wigan Warriors are the ones to beat in 2024, as they enter another dominant period in modern times.

The Warriors were crowned Betfred Super League Champions in 2023 following their famous win over Catalans at Old Trafford, as well as clinching the League Leaders' Shield in what was an outstanding season. And they will undoubtedly be a force to be reckoned with in 2024, as Matt Peet's men will be aiming for another scintillating campaign.

It is difficult to see the Warriors achieving anything other than one of the top spots and competing for additional silverware in the upcoming campaign, given the eye-catching recruitment, array of talent within the team, and winning culture Peet has built around the club.

And the Warriors proved exactly why they go by the Champions title, as they comfortably defeated Castleford Tigers in Round 1 of the 2024 Betfred Super League last weekend - starting as they mean to go on.

The Warriors will now look ahead to Saturday's World Club Challenge, as they seek a record-equalling fifth WCC title, just one win behind equalling Sydney Roosters' five times wins.

? ??????? ??? ??? ????????#WWRL #WorldClubChallenge pic.twitter.com/DC5xAP0CHt
— Wigan Warriors ??? (@WiganWarriorsRL) February 20, 2024

And assistant coach and club legend Sean O'Loughlin has expressed his thoughts on the World Club Challenge, and knows exactly what the fixture means:

"We want to go into the Penrith game battle ready. I was lucky enough to win a World Club Challenge on home soil, and it was a great feeling. It is pretty special to do it on your own patch. It's going to be a great occasion and the intensity will definitely up for this game.

"The fact that it is a sell-out shows what it means to the supporters. We'll be expecting the best Penrith side to come over here and put it a great fight."

Ones to watch:

The Warriors side boasts an array of top talent, and loyal Wiganer and club captain Liam Farrell should hope to lead his team to victory on Saturday when they face the Panthers on home soil. With well over 300+ appearances in the Cherry and White under his belt, Farrell is no stranger when it comes to success and games of the highest magnitude. The 33-year-old boasts a memorable career, having featured in eight Grand Finals and four previous World Club Challenges. He also played a pivotal role in Wigan's last World Club Challenge victory in 2017 when they beat Cronulla Sharks 22-6 at the DW Stadium. 

The Wigan captain commented ahead of Saturday night:

"We're grateful for the support and that fans are there for any big game. It's going to be an unbelievable atmosphere and one that I'm looking forward to.

"I think the club has got a strong history within the World Club Challenge, so if we can play our small part in that and get a win on Saturday, then that'll be great for us to be a part of that special history."

Further, dynamic duo Bevan French and Jai Field will look to tear it up on Saturday, as they continue to be instrumental to the Warriors' success. French's creative skills and abilities, combined with Field's searing pace and potential to create space for himself and others around him, is what makes the current Champions have one of the most dangerous attacks in the Betfred Super League - and it is set to be an emphatic showdown when they take on a Cleary-inspired Panthers outfit.

And French's threatening partnership with Harry Smith in the halves will look to cause Penrith some trouble on Saturday, as Smith looks ahead to Saturday's encounter and the opportunity to come up against a set of NRL superstars:

"It will be unbelievable. Cleary is one of the best half-backs in the world right now, so to be able to go up and test myself against him and the entire of their back-line will be incredible," Smith said.

"They're three in a row Champions and they're a great team. We're really looking forward to the test and we know we need to be at our best to win. Playing with the best raises your game and this World Club Challenge is going to make sure we're at our best."

The Panthers:

A star-studded Penrith have become a dominant and formidable side in the NRL, having featured in seven Grand Finals in the last eight seasons.

The Panthers have been NRL Premiers three years running and go into this World Club Challenge on the back of an incredible 26-24 Grand Final win over Brisbane Broncos. The Broncos had led comfortably 24-8 - or so they had thought, and this was with the help of a ten minute hat-trick from their stand-off Ezra Mam. And it looked as though Brisbane were well on their way to their first Premiership victory since 2006 with the Panthers staring at a 16 point deficit - something which appeared to be an impossible task with just 20 minutes left on the clock.

But some trademark Nathan Cleary magic, who fans will be familiar with from the latest Rugby League World Cup, paved the way for the Panthers to make an emphatic comeback, clinching a 26-24 memorable victory to retain Champions status. This was courtesy of his hallmark try assists, reliable goal-kicking and a match-winning try in such a short of space of time. 

So if we've learned anything, it's that the Panthers should not be underestimated nor can Wigan afford to be complacent on the night.

The Panthers landed in the UK over a week ago, and have been training at Manchester City's Etihad Stadium ever since. They also paid a visit Manchester United's iconic Old Trafford, and took part in a training session with Super League's Warrington Wolves, as they prepare for Saturday's battle of the Champions. And their head coach Ivan Cleary knows that despite three successive Premierships, the global crown is still something they desire.

Thanks for having us @ManCity! #pantherpride ? pic.twitter.com/NPEMFRhani
— Penrith Panthers ??? (@PenrithPanthers) February 19, 2024

Ones to watch:

Fans will recognise a number of Penrith players from the most recent Rugby League World Cup and Ivan Cleary has named Saturday's squad which features 12 players who were 2023 Grand Finalists.

The prolific Nathan Cleary is an obvious one to watch, having been considered one of the best half-backs of all time. The 26-year-old has a glistening career record having won the Dally M Halfback of the Year in 2020 and 2021, as well as the Clive Churchill Medal in 2021 and most recently in 2023's Grand Final victory over Brisbane for his phenomenal and match-winning second-half performance.

He has also led the Panthers to three consecutive Premiership wins, as well as representing Australia on international level, most memorably in their recent Rugby League World Cup win over Samoa in England. He is undoubtedly an influential figure and household name, and he is set to partner up with young Jack Cole. The 20-year-old has recently become a promising prospect at the Panthers, having previously played in the premiership-winning Jersey Flegg and NSW Cup teams in 2022, before making his NRL debut. The Panthers will be without Samoan star Jarome Luai for this World Club Challenge clash due to injury, but nevertheless, the Wigan defence will have every right to be wary of what the Panthers can pull off with such a dangerous and striking partnership between Cleary and Cole, and fans should look forward to a trademark Cleary display. 

The quality in the Penrith spine continues as Dylan Edwards is a recognised key man for the Panthers. The fancy full-back has been an integral part of the Panthers side since 2016, with 2022 arguably the best season of his career to date. It was in this year snapped up Penrith's Player of the Year Award (the Merv Cartwright Medal), as well as the Clive Churchill Medal in their 2022 Grand Final win over Parramatta Eels. He also recently made his debut in last year's Pacific Championships, so will look to bring big game mentality on Saturday.

Full focus ?#pantherpride ? pic.twitter.com/ITqsTeXAM8
— Penrith Panthers ??? (@PenrithPanthers) February 21, 2024

Co-captain Isaah Yeo and powerhouse prop James Harris-Fisher are also notable names in the Penrith side. They both featured in the Panthers' heart-breaking World Club Challenge loss to St Helens last year, so will no doubt be out for revenge when they travel to the UK. Harris-Fisher is a valuable asset to the Panthers, having been at the club since 2016 and is a firm regular in the distinguished New Zealand international side and the 2023 Golden Boot winner. Yeo, on the other hand, is a regular in the NSW State of Origin and has previously been selected for the Dally M Lock of the Year three years running. Both players were also fundamental in last year's Grand Final win.

Coach's comments:

With Saturday's battle of the best fast approaching, the head coaches have spoken, showing the utmost respect for each other's side - but are ready for the occasion:

Matt Peet (Wigan Warriors):

"Both teams want to come up against the best in one another.

"What Penrith have done in committing to this competition over the last two seasons - it is a testament to them. The English teams crave this fixture and for them to come to the other side of the world, I think it's credit to them and it's obvious what their culture stands for, and that's why they get the success that they do.

"As fan you turn up wanting to see Wigan win, but to also see the best players in the world play against your local heroes. I think that's what excites people about the game.

"You want to be involved in the big occasions and the big games. It's a great opportunity to myself and for us a club to be on the big stage and challenge ourselves against one of the best teams in recent history.

"We look to win, but ultimately I'm looking about what we can learn about ourselves. It's a great experience and we're looking forward to it."

Ivan Cleary (Penrith Panthers):

"We gave it our best last year [in the World Club Challenge], but Saints were too good for us on the night.

"But losing that game - we want to make up for it. We're fortunate to get another opportunity and we're grateful to be involved in this game, come over and play at such a great stadium.

"I was fortunate to come through when Wigan were such a powerhouse - Graham Lowe was actually my first coach. It's great to see Wigan back on top, so for us to be able to play them, it's really special.

"We want to give it our best and hopefully win the game. We're really looking forward to being part of this.

"Winning the World Club Challenge is one thing we haven't been able to do. We've had three goes of it now in our history, and last year we missed out. It would be nice to be the first Panthers team to do it. If you look through the list of its winners - it's all the big clubs. For us to be on that list would be pretty cool.

"Win or lose, it's a game we've both earned, and I've always watched these games growing up as a kid. Just to be here, it's a big game. You don't play for a World Championship every night, do you? And I think both teams will show what that means on Saturday night."

Squads:

Warriors: Jai Field, Abbas Miski, Adam Keighran, Jake Wardle, Liam Marshall, Bevan French, Harry Smith, Liam Byrne, Willie Isa, Liam Farrell, Kaide Ellis, Mike Cooper, Patrick Mago, Kruise Leeming, Tyler Dupree, Harvie Hill, Ryan Hampshire, Tiaki Chan, Zach Eckersley, Tom Forber.

Panthers: Dylan Edwards, Sunia Turuva, Izack Tago, Taylan May, Brian To'o, Jack Cole, Nathan Cleary, Moses Leota, Mitchell Kenny, James Fisher-Harris, Luke Garner, Liam Martin, Isaah Yeo, Tyrone Peachey, Lindsay Smith, Liam Henry, Matthew Eisenhuth, Brad Schneider, Mavrik Geyer, Daine Laurie, Soni Luke.

The 2024 Betfred World Club Challenge is a sell-out clash between current Super League Champions Wigan Warriors and NRL Premiers Penrith Panthers, which will take place on Saturday 24 February at the DW Stadium, K.O. 8pm. 

This hotly-anticipated event will be available to watch live on BBC Two, Sky Sports Arena, and SuperLeague+.