World Club Challenge: Magnitude of St Helens’ win over Penrith Panthers ‘hard to put into words’ – Jon Wilkin | Rugby League News

Lewis Dodd’s golden-point drop goal secured World Club Challenge glory for the Betfred Super League champions over the back-to-back NRL premiers; the win saw St Helens become the first team from these shores to win the match in Australia since 1994

Jack Welsby, Jonny Lomax, Mark Percival and Tommy Makinson celebrate St Helens’ World Club Challenge triumph

Jon Wilkin believes St Helens’ historic World Club Challenge triumph is an achievement which resonates across the whole of rugby league and beyond.

The Betfred Super League champions secured a 13-12 victory over back-to-back NRL premiers Penrith Panthers on Saturday at BlueBet Stadium thanks to homegrown talent Lewis Dodd’s golden-point drop goal.

Former St Helens back-row and Sky Sports rugby league pundit Wilkin, who was part of the team that beat the Broncos in the 2007 World Club Challenge, agreed with head coach Paul Wellens’ assessment it was a “seismic” result for the sport in this country.

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Jon Wilkin says St Helens’ victory over Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge was ‘remarkable’ and also updates us on the first round of Super League action

“It’s hard to put into words the magnitude of this victory,” Wilkin told Sky Sports News. “The NRL is the premiere rugby league competition in the world, it has infinite resources and is very similar to the Premier League and how it’s viewed in this country in football terms.

“So, for a small industrial town famous for glass to go over to Australia and beat Penrith Panthers, the champions from that competition, is remarkable.

“It’s remarkable for more reasons than just a northern town going over and competing against the best in the world, it’s remarkable because these two teams have been the best teams in their competitions for the past few years.

“There was a method in the way they won; it was gritty, and it was such a robust and strong performance on the biggest stage, and I’m not embarrassed to admit a little tear came to my eye with pride watching them lift that trophy.”

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Highlights of St Helens’ stunning victory over Penrith Panthers in the World Club Challenge

The victory meant Saints became the first club from these shores to claim the World Club Challenge since Wigan Warriors defeated Cronulla Sharks in 2017, and the first to win it in Australia since Wigan’s triumph over Brisbane Broncos in 1994.

They also defeated a Penrith team which contained Australian Rugby League World Cup winners Nathan Cleary and Isaah Yeo, along with six members of the Samoa squad which reached last year’s final and beat England in the semis before losing to the Kangaroos.

St Helens return to the UK to kick off their attempt to win an unprecedented fifth-straight Super League title away to Castleford Tigers on Sunday, and Wilkin feels the win over the Panthers has shown there is a lot for rugby league in the UK to feel optimistic about.

“One thing that has always been the case is we’re like the underdogs to Australia,” Wilkin said.

“I think we’re really paranoid about not being taken seriously by the game in Australia because it leads the way, and every time something like this happens it changes the mentality of people across the world.

“Super League is a fantastic competition…and the World Club Challenge, along with the opening fixtures we’ve seen, I think could pave the way for what could be an incredible 2023.

“It’s a landmark result for the sport and, following on from the World Cup, it really puts rugby league on the map.”

Sky Sports’ live coverage of the 2023 Betfred Super League season continues this week with Salford Red Devils vs Hull Kingston Rovers on Thursday, February 23 and Leeds Rhinos vs Hull FC on Friday, February 24 (both 8pm kick-off). Stream the 2023 Super League and NRL seasons on NOW TV.