2015 World Club Series
The 2015 World Club Series was the inaugural World Club Series and was contested by six clubs (three each from the Super League and National Rugby League), including Super League XIX champions, St Helens R.F.C. and 2014 NRL Premiers, the South Sydney Rabbitohs. The 2015 series marked a departure from the previous format, whereby only the premiers from the two respective competitions would take part.
| 2015 World Club Series | |
|---|---|
| Duration | 3 games |
| Teams | 6 |
| Highest attendance | 20,842
 Wigan Warriors vs  Brisbane Broncos |
| Lowest attendance | 13,080
 Warrington Wolves vs  St George Illawarra Dragons |
| Average attendance | 17,301 |
| Broadcast partners |  Sky Sports BBC Sport SLTV.svg.png.webp){kind=small} Fox Sports (Australia) beIN Sport Fox Soccer Plus Sport Klub |
| 2015 Series | |
| World Champions |  South Sydney Rabbitohs |
| Series Winners | NRL |
| Top point-scorer(s) | Adam Reynolds (12) |
| Top try-scorer(s) | Joel Reddy (2) |
Background
In September 2014 it was announced that the World Club Series would be overhauled to include six clubs – three each from the Super League and Australia's National Rugby League.[1] The 2015 series will take place between 22–25 February, and will feature three matches, the first and second essentially being two exhibition games and the final game being for the Championship trophy between the two respective premiers as in previous years.[2]
Other than the two aforementioned teams, it was also announced that Super League clubs the Warrington Wolves and Wigan Warriors, as well as National Rugby League clubs the St. George Illawarra Dragons and Brisbane Broncos would also take part.[3]
Series details
Series Score
| Winners | Score | Runners-up |
|---|---|---|
| NRL |
3 - 0 | Super League |
Game 1
20 February 2015 |
| Warrington Wolves |
12 – 18 | St. George Illawarra Dragons |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Gareth O'Brien (13') 1 Ryan Atkins (30') 1 Goals: Gareth O'Brien 2/3 (14', 59' pen) |
1st: 10 - 12 2nd: 2 - 6 |
Tries: 1 (2') Tyson Frizell 1 (19') Joel Thompson 1 (63') Josh Dugan Goals: 3/3 Gareth Widdop (3', 20', 64') |
Game 2
21 February 2015 |
| Wigan Warriors |
12 – 14 | Brisbane Broncos |
|---|---|---|
| Tries: Liam Farrell (25') 1 Joe Burgess (79') 1 Goals: Matty Smith 2/2 (26', 80') |
1st: 6 - 6 2nd: 6 - 6 ET: 0 - 2 |
Tries: 1 (7') Andrew McCullough 1 (56') Lachlan Maranta Goals: 3/4 Corey Parker (8', 69' pen, 90') |
World Club Challenge
22 February 2015 |
St Helens  |
0 – 39 | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
|---|---|---|
| 1st: 0 – 24 2nd: 0 – 15 |
Tries: 2 (31', 67') Joel Reddy 1 (2') Glenn Stewart 1 (20') Dylan Walker 1 (24') Greg Inglis 1 (47') Luke Keary 1 (58') Chris McQueen Goals: 5/8 Adam Reynolds (3', 8' pen, 25', 33', 48') Field Goals: 1 (78') Adam Reynolds |
Langtree Park, St. Helens Attendance: 17,980 Referee:  Richard SilverwoodMan of the Match: George Burgess |
St. Helens Rugby League Football Club
Saints finished Super League XIX's regular season in 1st place and on 11 October 2014 defeated defending premiers the Wigan Warriors 14 - 6 in the 2014 Super League Grand Final,[4][5] qualifying the Saints for their sixth World Club Challenge overall.
South Sydney Rabbitohs
The Rabbitohs finished the 2014 NRL season in third place and on 5 October 2014 defeated the 7th-placed Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs 30 - 6 in the 2014 NRL Grand Final,[6] qualifying South Sydney for their first World Club Challenge.
| St Helens | Posit. | South Sydney Rabbitohs |
|---|---|---|
| Jonny Lomax | Fullback | Greg Inglis (c) |
| Tommy Makinson | Winger | Alex Johnston |
| Mark Percival | Centre | Dylan Walker |
| Jordan Turner | Centre | Bryson Goodwin |
| Adam Swift | Winger | Joel Reddy |
| Travis Burns | Five-eighth | Luke Keary |
| Jon Wilkin (c) | Halfback | Adam Reynolds |
| Kyle Amor | Prop | George Burgess |
| James Roby | Hooker | Issac Luke |
| Mose Masoe | Prop | David Tyrrell |
| Joe Greenwood | Second Row | Glenn Stewart |
| Atelea Vea | Second Row | John Sutton |
| Mark Flanagan | Lock | Ben Lowe |
| Louie McCarthy-Scarsbrook | Interchange | Jason Clark |
| Alex Walmsley | Interchange | Chris McQueen |
| Luke Thompson | Interchange | Tom Burgess |
| Andre Savelio | Interchange | Chris Grevsmuhl |
| Keiron Cunningham | Coach | Michael Maguire |
References
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2014.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- http://www.nrl.com/dragons-to-play-in-world-club-series/tabid/10874/newsid/82453/default.aspx
- Clubs Confirmed for 2015 World Club Series, South Sydney Rabbitohs official website, 9 October 2014
- "St Helens win Grand Final after Wigan's Ben Flower is sent off". The Guardian. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- "St Helens 14-6 Wigan Warriors". BBC Sport. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
- Chammas, Michael (5 October 2014). "NRL Grand Final: South Sydney win first title in 43 years with victory over Canterbury Bulldogs". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 5 October 2014.