2023 World Club Challenge
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| 2023 World Club Challenge | ||||||||||||||||
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 Penrith Stadium during the match | ||||||||||||||||
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| Date | 18 February 2023 | |||||||||||||||
| Stadium | BlueBet Stadium | |||||||||||||||
| Location | Sydney, Australia | |||||||||||||||
| Man of the Match | Jack Welsby (St Helens) | |||||||||||||||
| Referee | Ashley Klein (Australia) | |||||||||||||||
| Attendance | 13,873 | |||||||||||||||
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The 2023 World Club Challenge (known as the 2023 Betfred World Club Challenge for sponsorship reasons) was the 29th staging of the World Club Challenge. The match was contested by the NRL winners Penrith Panthers, and Super League champions St Helens.[1][2][3]
Penrith Panthers
The challenge was played for the first time since 2020 as the global COVID-19 pandemic led to the cancellation of the intervening fixtures.[4]
Penrith defeated Parramatta Eels in the 2022 NRL Grand Final, which qualified them for the 2023 World Club Challenge.
St Helens
St Helens and the Leeds Rhinos competed in the 2022 Super League Grand Final, for a record fifth time at Old Trafford, which saw St Helens win 24–12.
Pre-match
Team selection
Following the departures of Viliame Kikau, Apisai Koroisau, and Charlie Staines to other clubs, Penrith fielded a team with 11 members of their 2022 grand final team. 2022 Clive Churchill Medallist and regular fullback Dylan Edwards missed the match through injury,[5] with Liam Martin and Scott Sorensen also absent through injury concerns.[6]
Officiating
Australian referee Ashley Klein was selected to referee his third World Club Challenge, having previously been in charge of the 2008 and 2012 fixtures.
