2010 World Club Challenge

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| image1 = North Stand at Elland Road prior to the 2010 World Club Challenge.jpg

| width1 = 150

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| image2 = East Stand at Elland Road prior to the 2010 World Club Challenge.jpg

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| footer = Elland Road prior to the match.

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{{further|2009 Super League Grand Final|2009 Leeds Rhinos season}}

Leeds Rhinos qualified through being the 2009 Super League champions, defeating St Helens R.F.C. 18–10 in the Grand Final.

{{further|2009 NRL Grand Final|2009 Melbourne Storm season}}

Melbourne Storm qualified by being crowned the 2009 National Rugby League premiers with a 23–16 defeat of the Parramatta Eels, in the NRL Grand Final. This premiership was later stripped from the Storm due to salary cap breaches.

The Storm, despite being stripped of their two premierships, were initially allowed to keep the World Club Challenge title, including the trophy and prize money they won; however, on 11 May 2011, a final report released further detailing the Melbourne Storm salary cap scandal recommended the Storm be stripped of the 2010 World Club Challenge.{{Cite web |url=http://nrl.com/nrl-report-recommends-waldron-ban/tabid/10874/newsid/62732/default.aspx |title=NRL report recommends Waldron ban - NRL.com |access-date=2011-05-11 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110514200511/http://www.nrl.com/nrl-report-recommends-waldron-ban/tabid/10874/newsid/62732/default.aspx |archive-date=2011-05-14 |url-status=dead }} In addition the prize money won was redistributed to Leeds.

Melbourne played a warm-up game against the Harlequins RL Super League team at the Twickenham Stoop.{{cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12212_5690668,00.html |title=Quins to warm up Storm |date=12 November 2009 |publisher=Sky Sports |access-date=9 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100107075005/http://www.skysports.com/story/0%2C19528%2C12212_5690668%2C00.html |archive-date=7 January 2010 |url-status=live }} The match took place on Sunday 21 February - a week before the Storm played for the world title.{{cite web|url=http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/sport/rugby-league/quins-announce-melbourne-storm-match-$1340131.htm|title=Quins announce Melbourne Storm match|author=Staff writers|date=12 November 2009|publisher=inthenews.co.uk|access-date=9 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120315073126/http://www.inthenews.co.uk/news/sport/rugby-league/quins-announce-melbourne-storm-match-$1340131.htm|archive-date=15 March 2012|url-status=dead}} The event was dubbed the World City Challenge – London Series.{{cite web|url=http://www.londonrl.com/features/170-londonrl-launch-sponsorship-initiative|title=LondonRL launch sponsorship initiative|publisher=London RL|access-date=9 December 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110724225622/http://www.londonrl.com/features/170-londonrl-launch-sponsorship-initiative|archive-date=24 July 2011|url-status=dead}} Melbourne were without Cooper Cronk, Brett White and Ryan Tandy, with both sides giving a number of youngsters a taste of first-team action.{{cite news|url=http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_5760490,00.html |work=Sky Sports |title=Storm short for Rhinos test |date=9 December 2009 |access-date=12 December 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091213045032/http://www.skysports.com/story/0%2C19528%2C12196_5760490%2C00.html |archive-date=13 December 2009 |url-status=live }}

{{rugbyleaguebox

| date = 21 February 2010

| time = 14:00 GMT

| team1 = Harlequins RL {{leagueicon|Harlequins|16}}

| score = 10–34

| report = [http://www.skysports.com/story/0,19528,12196_5966809,00.html (Report)]

| team2 = {{leagueicon|Melbourne|16}} Melbourne Storm

| points1 = Tries: Ben Jones-Bishop, Will Sharp
Goals: Danny Orr

| points2 = Tries: Anthony Quinn, Kevin Proctor, Dane Nielsen (2), Hep Cahill, Rory Kostjaysn
Goals: Gareth Widdop (5)

| stadium = The Stoop

| attendance= 3,612

| referee =

| manofmatch=

}}

Melbourne were missing seven players from their 2009 premiership squad, including regular {{rlp|hb}} Cooper Cronk who missed the match through injury, with captain Cameron Smith playing out of position.

Leeds were almost at full strength, missing only Australian winger Scott Donald.

{{Rugby league match squad

| collapsed = n

| align = center

| hometeam = Leeds Rhinos

| homeBorder = blue

| homeBGcolour = yellow

| homeFGcolour = blue

| awayteam = Melbourne Storm

| awayBorder = purple

| awayBGcolour = navy

| awayFGcolour = white

| squadsize = 17

| location = ns

| abbr = y

| homeCoach = {{flagicon|NZL}} Brian McClennan

| homeFB = Brent Webb

| homeFBnum = 1

| homeWG1 = Kallum Watkins

| homeWG1num = 23

| homeCE1 = Brett Delaney

| homeCE1num = 3

| homeCE2 = Keith Senior

| homeCE2num = 4

| homeWG2 = Ryan Hall

| homeWG2num = 5

| homeSO = Danny McGuire

| homeSOnum = 6

| homeSH = Rob Burrow

| homeSHnum = 7

| homePR1 = Kylie Leuluai

| homePR1num = 8

| homeHK = Matt Diskin

| homeHKnum = 14

| homePR2 = Jamie Peacock

| homePR2num = 10

| homeSR1 = Jamie Jones-Buchanan

| homeSR1num = 11

| homeSR2 = Ian Kirke

| homeSR2num = 17

| homeLF = Kevin Sinfield (c)

| homeLFnum = 13

| homeIN1 = Danny Buderus

| homeIN1num = 9

| homeIN2 = Ali Lauitiiti

| homeIN2num = 12

| homeIN3 = Greg Eastwood

| homeIN3num = 15

| homeIN4 = Ryan Bailey

| homeIN4num = 16

| awayCoach = {{flagicon|AUS}} Craig Bellamy

| awayFB = Billy Slater

| awayFBnum = 1

| awayWG1 = Luke MacDougall

| awayWG1num = 2

| awayCE1 = Dane Nielsen

| awayCE1num = 3

| awayCE2 = Greg Inglis

| awayCE2num = 4

| awayWG2 = Anthony Quinn

| awayWG2num = 5

| awaySO = Brett Finch

| awaySOnum = 6

| awaySH = Cameron Smith (c)

| awaySHnum = 7

| awayPR1 = Aiden Tolman

| awayPR1num = 8

| awayHK = Ryan Hinchcliffe

| awayHKnum = 9

| awayPR2 = Jeff Lima

| awayPR2num = 10

| awaySR1 = Adam Blair

| awaySR1num = 11

| awaySR2 = Ryan Hoffman

| awaySR2num = 12

| awayLF = Todd Lowrie

| awayLFnum = 13

| awayIN1 = Rory Kostjaysn

| awayIN1num = 14

| awayIN2 = Kevin Proctor

| awayIN2num = 15

| awayIN3 = Hep Cahill

| awayIN3num = 16

| awayIN4 = Jesse Bromwich

| awayIN4num = 17

| source =

}}

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. 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. 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. 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.{{cite book |last1=Middleton |first1=David |title=2010 Official Rugby League Annual |publisher=News Magazines |location=Sydney |page=30}}{{cite news |title=Leeds 10-18 Melbourne |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport2/hi/rugby_league/super_league/leeds/8530844.stm |access-date=21 February 2023 |work=BBC Sport |publisher=British Broadcasting Corporation |date=28 February 2010}}

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|date=September 2016}}

{{reflist}}

• [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pb4zMAPoubU&t=26s Match replay at YouTube.com]

{{2010 in rugby league}}

{{World Club Challenge}}

{{Melbourne Storm - 2010 World Club Challenge winners}}

{{Melbourne Storm}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:World Club Challenge}}

2010

Category:2010 in English rugby league

Category:Melbourne Storm matches

Category:Leeds Rhinos matches

Category:2010 in Australian rugby league

Category:Sports competitions in Leeds

Category:Rugby league in West Yorkshire