St Helens won the Club World Challenge with a dramatic 12-13 “golden point” victory against the Penrith Panthers today (February 18).
Saints started quickly, scoring in the ninth minute through Jack Wesley.
He finished off a fast break through the lines, assisted by Curtis Sironen. Tommy Makinson converted to give them a 6-0 lead.
St Helens scored again in the 16th minute as Konrad Hurrell powered across the line.
However, a failed conversion followed so the score was 10-0.
Penrith responded well but couldn’t score, so the Saints went into the break with a 10 point lead.
However, Makinson failed his HIA at half-time and didn’t make it out for the second half.
Quickly after the break in the 44th, Saints were given a penalty after a Penrith scrum offside.
The visitors called for the tee and Mark Percival kicked for two, making the score 12-0.
Penrith pulled one back in the 52nd minute through Izack Tago, who grounded a loose ball.
With a conversion added from Nathan Cleary, Penrith were back in it at 6-12
The Saints missed multiple chances to finish off the game before Penrith tied things up in the 79th, as Brian To’o found himself in plenty of space to score the game saving try.
Another Cleary conversion left the scores equal at 12-12.
With the scores equal, the 2023 Club World Challenge Final would be decided by Golden Point.
In extra time, it was Lewis Dodd who got the all deciding point, kicking a drop goal from range to win crown his side World Champions.
Paul Wellens told MerseySportLive in the pre-match presser, that a win would solidify their position as one of the greatest sides ever.
A third world title will give the Saints faith of further success as they return to Super League action next weekend.
(Tommy Makinson St Helens, pic by Alamy images under agreed licence)
