The 1991

World Club Challenge The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league competition between the winners of the Australasian National Rugby League (NRL) and the European Super League, for the de facto club world championship of the sport. The first such match was pl ...

(marketed as the Foster's World Club Challenge due to sponsorship from the brewer) was contested by 1990–91 RFL Championship winners,

Wigan Wigan ( ) is a large town in Greater Manchester, England, on the River Douglas, Lancashire, River Douglas. The town is midway between the two cities of Manchester, to the south-east, and Liverpool, to the south-west. Bolton lies to the nor ...

and 1991 NSWRL season premiers, the

Penrith Panthers The Penrith Panthers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the western Sydney suburb of Penrith that competes in the NRL. The team is based west of the centre of Sydney, at the foot of the Blue Mountains. Penrith ...

. The match was played on a dry Wednesday 2 October 1991 at

Anfield Anfield is a football stadium in Anfield, Liverpool, Merseyside, England, which has a seating capacity of 53,394, making it the seventh largest football stadium in England. It has been the home of Liverpool F.C. since their formation in 1892. ...

, Liverpool. A crowd of 20,152 was in attendance for the game which was refereed by Frenchman Alain Sablayrolles.

Background

Wigan

Penrith Panthers

Teams

Match details

Penrith were without their star grand final forward

Mark Geyer Mark Bradley Geyer (born 7 December 1967) is an Australian radio host and former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1980s, 1990s and 2000. An Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative se ...

due to ankle injury that required surgery while

Brad Fittler Bradley Scott Fittler (born 5 February 1972), also known by the nickname of "Freddy", is the head coach of the New South Wales State of Origin team, a commentator and a television presenter. Fittler has previously coached the Sydney Roosters in ...

was unavailable as he was part of the

Australian Kangaroos The Australian National Rugby League Team, the Kangaroos, have represented Australia in senior men's rugby league football competition since the establishment of the 'Northern Union game' in Australia in 1908. Administered by the Australian ...

team on their end of season tour of

Papua New Guinea Papua New Guinea (abbreviated PNG; , ; tpi, Papua Niugini; ho, Papua Niu Gini), officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea ( tpi, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niugini; ho, Independen Stet bilong Papua Niu Gini), is a country i ...

(Fittler made his test debut for Australia 4 days after the WCC). By just the 13th minute Wigan had gotten away to a handy lead with the score at 8 - 0 after Frano Botica kicked four consecutive penalties. Penrith then answered five minutes later with an unconverted try from Darren Wills. However this was to be the last time Penrith scored in the match. Wigan's Sam Panapa got their first try in the 27th minute which was converted by Botica, bringing the scoreline to 14 - 4 which lasted until half-time. No points were scored in the second half of the game until two thirds of the way through when Botica kicked a fifth penalty goal. David Myers scored Wigan's second try and the last of the match in the 77th minute. Just before the full-time whistle, Joe Lydon successfully kicked a field goal, adding insult to injury and making the final score Wigan 21, Penrith 4.

References

External links

1991 World Club Challenge at wigan.rlfans.com1991 World Club Challenge at superleague.co.uk
{{1991 in rugby league World Club Challenge Penrith Panthers matches Wigan Warriors matches