2010 World Club Challenge

2010 World Club Challenge

28 February 2010 18:30 GMT (UTC+0)

Leeds Rhinos	10 – 18	Melbourne Storm
Tries: 1 McGuire  48' Goals: 3/3 Sinfield  pen 4' (1/1) Burrow  pen 33', 49' (2/2)	1st: 4 – 4 2nd: 6 – 14 Report	Tries: 2 MacDougall  51' Quinn  78' Goals: 5/5 Smith  pen 7', pen 38', 52', pen 60', 79'

Elland Road, Leeds Attendance: 27,697 Referee: Richard Silverwood Player of the Match: Cameron Smith (Note: Later stripped due to Melbourne Storm's breach of the NRL's salary cap)

In slippery and rainy conditions, Leeds almost scored in the first few minutes when Brent Webb ran over, but was held up by Luke MacDougall on the last tackle. Soon after they posted the first points with a penalty goal to captain Kevin Sinfield. Soon after Melbourne drew level with a penalty goal of their own through captain Cameron Smith. In the 13th minute, Kallum Watkins almost scored in the corner, but the ball slipped from his grasp before he could ground the ball.^[9] Melbourne then went close to scoring through Ryan Hinchcliffe in the 26th minute, but he was bundled into touch by the Leeds defence.

After Sinfield left the field in the 30th minute with a leg injury, Rob Burrow kicked another penalty goal, leaving Leeds two points in front. Smith then levelled the score again with the fourth consecutive penalty goal. The half ended with the scored tied 4–all, after Hinchcliffe was denied a try in the 40th minute when a knock-on was spotted in the lead-up by the video referee.

Eight minutes into the second half, Smith attempted a grubber kick which landed in the path of Danny McGuire, who ran down the length of the field to score the first try. The try was awarded by video referee Phil Bentham despite Melbourne's protests that McGuire was offside.^[9] Burrow's conversion pushed the margin out to six. Melbourne responded quickly after through a try to MacDougall who scored in the right corner. Despite the tough angle, Smith made the conversion.

Melbourne would gain the lead for the first time after 60 minutes, with Smith scoring another penalty goal to go up 12–10. The penalty was awarded against Keith Senior for dissent as Leeds' frustration over Melbourne's defensive tactics mounted.^[8] Watkins again went close to scoring a try in the 74th minute, but he knocked-on reaching out to score. A late Anthony Quinn try sealed the game, with Storm winning 18–10.^[8][9]

The Player of the Match was awarded to Cameron Smith from the Melbourne Storm, but he was later stripped of the award because of the Storm's salary cap breach.^{[citation needed]}

• Match replay at YouTube.com