1992 World Club Challenge
Encyclopedia
The 1992 World Club Challenge
match was contested by the 1991–92 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan
and the 1992 NSWRL season's premiers, the Brisbane Broncos
. The match took place during the 1992–93 Rugby Football League season on Friday night, the 30th of October, less than a week after the World Cup Final (from which many players on both sides were backing up) at Central Park, Wigan
in front of a crowd of 17,764. The referee was New Zealand
's Dennis Hale
, the same referee as for the WCF one week earlier.
Brisbane's Alan Cann
missed the match due to injury.
Early in the match a chaotic all-in brawl erupted, with Brisbane's Andrew Gee
seen as the instigator. Wigan later opened the scoring by kicking a penalty given for an obstruction by Kerrod Walters
close to the Broncos' try-line. However a knock-on later by Wigan in their in-goal area gave Brisbane a scrum
feed in an attacking position and Julian O'Neill
capitalised, fending off one defender and avoiding another in his run for the line to score the first try of the match which was then converted by Terry Matterson
. Another try, scored by Kerrod Walters as a result of good support play from the Broncos, brought the score to 2-10 at half time.
Early in the second half another all-in brawl started, Andrew Gee again involved in the initial flareup. The Broncos scored first in the second half with Steve Renouf
finding Michael Hancock
out wide close to the Wigan try-line. However this was followed by a miraculous try from the home team. Around the halfway line, the Wigan hooker, Martin Dermott
, chipped the ball over the top of the Broncos defenders and Shaun Edwards
ran through to field it. Without missing a beat Edwards then sent a grubbing kick down past a complacent Julian O'Neill at fullback and won the race for it, with Wigan's goal-kicker Frano Botica
adding the extra two. Later in the game Renouf again combined with Hancock out wide, throwing a looping pass over the Wigan defence to send the Broncos' number two over once more. The successful conversaion attempt by Matterson, who was named man-of-the-match, left the final score at 22-8.
The Brisbane Broncos' victory saw the first time that Australian premiers had won the World Club Challenge
on British soil. It was also only the second time that an Australian team had won at all, the last time being in 1976, in the first ever match of its kind.
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
match was contested by the 1991–92 Rugby Football League season champions Wigan
Wigan Warriors
Wigan Warriors is an English rugby league club based in Wigan, Greater Manchester. The club's first team squad competes in the engage Super League and the team are the current Challenge Cup holders as of the 27th August 2011....
and the 1992 NSWRL season's premiers, the Brisbane Broncos
Brisbane Broncos
The Brisbane Broncos are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the city of Brisbane, the capital of the state of Queensland. Founded in 1988, the Broncos play in Australasia's elite competition, the National Rugby League premiership. They have won six premierships and two...
. The match took place during the 1992–93 Rugby Football League season on Friday night, the 30th of October, less than a week after the World Cup Final (from which many players on both sides were backing up) at Central Park, Wigan
Central Park (Wigan)
Central Park was a rugby league stadium in Wigan, England. It was the home of Wigan RLFC before the club moved to the JJB Stadium in 1999. Its final capacity was 18,000.-History:...
in front of a crowd of 17,764. The referee was New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
's Dennis Hale
Dennis Hale (rugby league)
-Early years:Hale began his involvement with rugby league as a player with the North Shore club. He would go on to be involved in coaching and administration with the club, before becoming a referee in 1976.-Refereeing career:...
, the same referee as for the WCF one week earlier.
Match details
| Brisbane Broncos | Wigan | |
|---|---|---|
| Julian O'Neill Julian O'Neill O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995... |
1. FB | Andre Stoop |
| Michael Hancock Michael Hancock (rugby league) Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories... |
2. WG | Jason Robinson Jason Robinson Jason Thorpe Robinson OBE is an English former international rugby union and rugby league player of the 1990s and 2000s. Playing at wing or fullback, he won fifty-one rugby union international test caps in total for England, and in rugby league he won twelve caps for Great Britain and seven for... |
| Steve Renouf Steve Renouf Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest... |
3. CE | Dean Bell Dean Bell Dean Bell is a New Zealand former rugby league footballer and coach. A New Zealand international representative centre, he played his club football in England, Australia and New Zealand, but most notably with Wigan, with whom he won seven consecutive Challenge Cup finals, a Lance Todd Trophy and a... |
| Chris Johns Chris Johns (rugby league) Chris Johns is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. He played in the centres, achieving representative honours for Australia and New South Wales. His club football career was spent with the St. George Dragons and Brisbane Broncos, as well as a spell in England with... |
4. CE | Andrew Farrar Andrew Farrar Andrew Farrar is an Australian former rugby league footballer and coach. He played for the Canterbury Bulldogs, Western Suburbs Magpies, Wigan Warriors and Illawarra Steelers. Farrar also played for New South Wales in the State of Origin on several occasions and played for Australia in the 1988... |
| Willie Carne Willie Carne William Carne is an Australian former rugby league footballer who played for the Brisbane Broncos from 1990 to 1996, as well as representing both Queensland and Australia... |
5. WG | Martin Offiah Martin Offiah Martin Offiah MBE is an English former rugby league and rugby union footballer.He is known as "Chariots" Offiah after the film Chariots of Fire... |
| Kevin Walters Kevin Walters Kevin David Walters is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He is currently the assistant coach for NRL club Melbourne Storm. He joined them from French club Catalans Dragons of Europe's Super League as their head coach. Before that he was head coach of the... |
6. FE | Frano Botica Frano Botica Frano Michael Botica is a former rugby union and rugby league player who represented his country at both sports and also played for Croatia in a rugby union world cup qualifying match.-Rugby union:... |
| Allan Langer Allan Langer Allan "Alfie" Langer AM is an Australian former multi-award-winning rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s who works as an assistant coach for the Australian national team and Brisbane Broncos... (c) |
7. HB | Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards Shaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach.... (c) |
| Glenn Lazarus Glenn Lazarus Glenn Patrick Lazarus is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s who has been named amongst the nation's finest of the 20th century. He primarily played at prop forward, representing Australia internationally and New South Wales in State of Origin... |
8. PR | Kelvin Skerrett Kelvin Skerrett Kelvin Skerrett is a British former professional rugby league footballer. His position was .Kelvin Skerrett was a Welsh international and played at the 1995 Rugby League World Cup... |
| Kerrod Walters Kerrod Walters Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships... |
9. HK | Martin Dermott Martin Dermott Martin Dermott is a former professional rugby league footballler who was capped 12 times for the Great Britain national team... |
| Andrew Gee Andrew Gee Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL... |
10. PR | Andy Platt Andy Platt Andy Platt is an English former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Great Britain international representative prop forward, he played for English clubs St Helens, Wigan, Widnes and Salford, as well as in New Zealand for the Auckland Warriors.-Playing career:He started his... |
| Trevor Gillmeister Trevor Gillmeister Trevor Gillmeister is an Australian former rugby league player who is currently signed on as an assistant coach at the Gold Coast Titans. During his playing days Gillmeister played for the Sydney Roosters, Brisbane Broncos, Penrith Panthers and the South Queensland Crushers as well as... |
11. SR | Denis Betts Denis Betts Denis C. Betts is an English rugby league coach and former player. He is the current head coach of the Widnes Vikings in the Engage Super League. He played for Wigan in the Rugby League Premiership and the Australian NRL, for the Auckland Warriors, and also represented England at the 1995 Rugby... |
| Mark Hohn Mark Hohn Mark Hohn is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 1990s. A front-rower, he represented Queensland in the State of Origin on nine occasions and played one test for Australia as a reserve forward against France in mid-1994... |
12. SR | Billy McGinty Billy McGinty (rugby league) Billy McGinty is a Scottish former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and first decade of the 21st century. He played in the forwards for Wigan during the period in the 1990s when they dominated the sport, and later for Workington Town.... |
| Terry Matterson Terry Matterson Terry Matterson is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player. He has been the coach for the Castleford Tigers of Europe's Super League since 2005.... |
13. LF | Phil Clarke Phil Clarke Phil Clarke is an English rugby league football commentator and former professional player of the 1980s and 90s. A Great Britain and England international representative loose forward, he spent his club career with Wigan, as well as a stint in Australia with the Sydney Roosters.Phil Clarke is the... |
| John Plath John Plath John Plath is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1990s. He played in all of the Brisbane Broncos' first four grand final wins from the interchange bench and retired as the most-capped Bronco not to have played representative football.... |
14. Bench | Sam Panapa Sam Panapa Sam Panapa is a former rugby league player and coach who represented three countries in his career.-Playing career:A Te Atatu Roosters junior in the Auckland Rugby League competitions, Panapa played club football in Britain for Wigan... |
| Tony Currie | 15. Bench | Ian Lucas Ian Lucas (rugby league) Ian Lucas is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s and '90s, and coach of the 1990s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and at club level for Wigan, playing at , i.e. number 8 or 10, and at club level has coached for Leigh... |
| Brett Plowman | 16. Bench | Martin Crompton Martin Crompton Martin Crompton born in Ince-in-Makerfield, Wigan, Lancashire, England is a former rugby league player.Crompton was an Ireland international and played at the 2000 Rugby League World Cup.... |
| Peter Ryan Peter Ryan (rugby league) Peter Ryan is an Australian former rugby league and rugby union footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played ten seasons with the Brisbane Broncos and finished his career playing rugby union for the ACT Brumbies.Ryan attended Downlands... |
17. Bench | Neil Cowie Neil Cowie Neil Cowie is an English born Welsh former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who at representative level has played for Great Britain, and Wales, and at club level for Rochdale Hornets, and Wigan Warriors, playing at , i.e... |
| Wayne Bennett | Coach | John Monie John Monie John Monie is a former professional rugby league coach and player. He is probably best known for his coaching career where he won premierships in both Australia and England.-Playing career:... |
Brisbane's Alan Cann
Alan Cann
Alan Cann is an Australian former rugby league footaballer of the 1990s. A Queensland State of Origin representative forward, he played club football mostly with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won consecutive grand finals in '92 and '93, and also with the Adelaide Rams.-Career:Former Australian...
missed the match due to injury.
Early in the match a chaotic all-in brawl erupted, with Brisbane's Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee
Andrew Gee is an Australian rugby league administrator and the current football operations manager at the Brisbane Broncos of the NRL...
seen as the instigator. Wigan later opened the scoring by kicking a penalty given for an obstruction by Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters
Kerrod Walters is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s and 90s. A Queensland State of Origin and Australian international representative hooker, he played most of his club football with the Brisbane Broncos, with whom he won the 1992 and 1993 NSWRL Premierships...
close to the Broncos' try-line. However a knock-on later by Wigan in their in-goal area gave Brisbane a scrum
Scrum (rugby)
Scrum , in the sports of rugby union and rugby league, is a way of restarting the game, either after an accidental infringement or when the ball has gone out of play...
feed in an attacking position and Julian O'Neill
Julian O'Neill
O'Neill then played at fullback in all three games of the 1994 State of Origin series under coach Wally Lewis. During the 1994 NSWRL season, O'Neill played at lock forward for defending premiers Brisbane when they hosted British champions Wigan for the 1994 World Club Challenge. In 1994 and 1995...
capitalised, fending off one defender and avoiding another in his run for the line to score the first try of the match which was then converted by Terry Matterson
Terry Matterson
Terry Matterson is an Australian rugby league football coach and former player. He has been the coach for the Castleford Tigers of Europe's Super League since 2005....
. Another try, scored by Kerrod Walters as a result of good support play from the Broncos, brought the score to 2-10 at half time.
Early in the second half another all-in brawl started, Andrew Gee again involved in the initial flareup. The Broncos scored first in the second half with Steve Renouf
Steve Renouf
Stephen Renouf is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. Of Aboriginal and European descent, he was known as one of the sport's greatest centres. Renouf set numerous records for the Brisbane Broncos club and is considered one of the greatest...
finding Michael Hancock
Michael Hancock (rugby league)
Michael John "Mick" Hancock is an Australian former rugby league footballer of the 1980s, 90s and 2000s. An Australian international and Queensland State of Origin representative winger, he played in the Brisbane Broncos' 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grand final victories...
out wide close to the Wigan try-line. However this was followed by a miraculous try from the home team. Around the halfway line, the Wigan hooker, Martin Dermott
Martin Dermott
Martin Dermott is a former professional rugby league footballler who was capped 12 times for the Great Britain national team...
, chipped the ball over the top of the Broncos defenders and Shaun Edwards
Shaun Edwards
Shaun Edwards OBE is an English rugby union coach and former rugby league player. He is defence coach of Wales, a post he has held since 2008. In November 2011 he left London Wasps after 10 years with the club, latterly as head coach....
ran through to field it. Without missing a beat Edwards then sent a grubbing kick down past a complacent Julian O'Neill at fullback and won the race for it, with Wigan's goal-kicker Frano Botica
Frano Botica
Frano Michael Botica is a former rugby union and rugby league player who represented his country at both sports and also played for Croatia in a rugby union world cup qualifying match.-Rugby union:...
adding the extra two. Later in the game Renouf again combined with Hancock out wide, throwing a looping pass over the Wigan defence to send the Broncos' number two over once more. The successful conversaion attempt by Matterson, who was named man-of-the-match, left the final score at 22-8.
The Brisbane Broncos' victory saw the first time that Australian premiers had won the World Club Challenge
World Club Challenge
The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league football match held between the champions of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League competitions to determine the world's best rugby league club...
on British soil. It was also only the second time that an Australian team had won at all, the last time being in 1976, in the first ever match of its kind.