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
Duration3 games
Teams6
Highest attendance20,842 Wigan Warriors vs
Brisbane Broncos
Lowest attendance13,080 Warrington Wolves vs
St George Illawarra Dragons
Average attendance17,301
Broadcast partnersUnited Kingdom Sky Sports
United Kingdom BBC Sport
United Kingdom SLTV
Australia Fox Sports (Australia)
France beIN Sport
United States Fox Soccer Plus
Europe Sport Klub
2015 Series
World Champions South Sydney Rabbitohs
Series WinnersAustralia NRL
Top point-scorer(s) Adam Reynolds (12)
Top try-scorer(s) Joel Reddy (2)

Background

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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][4]

Series details

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Series Score

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Winners Score Runners-up
  NRL 3 - 0   Super League

Game 1

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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')
Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington
Attendance: 13,080
Referee:   Ben Thaler

Game 2

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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')
DW Stadium, Wigan
Attendance: 20,842
Referee:   Phil Bentham

World Club Challenge

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The Totally Wicked Stadium hosted the match
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 Silverwood
Player of the Match:   George Burgess

St. Helens Rugby League Football Club

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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,[5][6] qualifying the Saints for their sixth World Club Challenge overall.

South Sydney Rabbitohs

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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,[7] qualifying South Sydney for their first World Club Challenge.

2015 World Club Series Final Teams
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

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  1. ^ "WORLD CLUB SERIES DETAILS ANNOUNCED - Rugby League Week". Archived from the original on 3 March 2016. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  2. ^ "Dragons to play in World Club Series". 8 October 2014.
  3. ^ "Warrington Wolves to take part in 2015 World Club Series". BBC Sport. 4 October 2014. Retrieved 9 June 2024.
  4. ^ Clubs Confirmed for 2015 World Club Series, South Sydney Rabbitohs official website, 9 October 2014
  5. ^ "St Helens win Grand Final after Wigan's Ben Flower is sent off". The Guardian. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  6. ^ "St Helens 14-6 Wigan Warriors". BBC Sport. 11 October 2014. Retrieved 15 October 2014.
  7. ^ 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.