1997 World Club Championship

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1997 World Club Championship
World Club Challenge.JPG
Tournament details
Dates 6 June-11 October
Teams 22
Final positions
Champions Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos (2nd title)
Runners-up File:Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners
1994
2000

The 1997 World Club Championship was an expansion of the World Club Challenge concept by Super League. The competition was restructured to include all 22 clubs from the Australasian and European Super League championships and was known as the Visa World Club Championship due to sponsorship. As it was contested over 6 rounds in 2 hemispheres, with A$1,000,000 prize money (GBP 640,000), the competition was prohibitively expensive to stage. This coupled with the poor ratings and attendances that were achieved both in Australia and Europe reportedly resulted in a loss over $5,000,000, and the World Club Challenge was not staged again for a number of years. No British teams progressed further than the quarter finals, with two Australian teams reaching the final (played at the Ericsson Stadium in Auckland, New Zealand): the dominant Brisbane Broncos club and the ill-fated Hunter Mariners.[1]

1997 tournament tables

The Australasian and European teams were each divided into two pools for the 1997 World Club Challenge. Each pool had six teams, with the exception of Australasia B, which had the two lowest placed Super League-aligned teams and the two newly formed teams: the Hunter Mariners and the Adelaide Rams. The finals series was contested between the top three teams in Australasia Pool A and Europe Pool A, and the top team from Australasia Pool B and Europe Pool B.

Australian Super League

Pool A

Club Played Won Lost Drawn For Against Diff. Points
Brisbane colours.svg Brisbane Broncos 6 6 0 0 270 52 218 12
Auckland colours.svg Auckland Warriors 6 6 0 0 268 82 186 12
Cronulla colours.svg Cronulla Sharks 6 6 0 0 230 54 176 12
Penrith colours.svg Penrith Panthers 6 6 0 0 256 120 136 12
Canberra colours.svg Canberra Raiders 6 5 1 0 302 108 194 10
Canterbury colours.svg Canterbury Bulldogs 6 4 2 0 218 121 97 8

Pool B

Club Played Won Lost Drawn For Against Diff. Points
16px Hunter Mariners 6 6 0 0 226 50 176 12
16px North Queensland Cowboys 6 5 1 0 228 92 136 10
Adelaide colours.svg Adelaide Rams 6 4 2 0 170 68 102 8
16px Perth Reds 6 4 2 0 148 104 44 8

Europe Super League

Pool A

Club Played Won Lost Drawn For Against Diff. Points
16px Wigan Warriors 6 2 4 0 89 212 -123 4
Quinscolours.png London Broncos 6 1 5 0 136 238 -102 2
Bullscolours.svg Bradford Bulls 6 0 6 0 82 228 -146 0
16px St Helens RLFC 6 0 6 0 96 270 -174 0
16px Warrington Wolves 6 0 6 0 78 256 -178 0
Faxcolours.svg Halifax Blue Sox 6 0 6 0 56 340 -284 0

Pool B

Club Played Won Lost Drawn Bye For Against Diff. Points
Paris Saint-Germain 4 1 3 0 2 48 90 -42 2
16px Leeds Rhinos 4 1 3 0 2 64 138 -74 2
Oldhamcolours.svg Oldham Bears 4 1 3 0 2 52 130 -78 2
Redscolours.svg Salford City Reds 4 1 3 0 2 44 130 -86 2
Sheffeagles colours.svg Sheffield Eagles 4 1 3 0 2 54 168 -114 2
16px Castleford Tigers 4 0 4 0 2 52 116 -64 0

Matches

Round 1

June 6, 1997
Brisbane Broncos 42 – 22 London Broncos ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 18,193
St Helens 12 – 42 Auckland Warriors Knowsley Road, St. Helens Attendance: 8,911
June 7, 1997
North Queensland Cowboys 42 – 20 Leeds Rhinos Stockland Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 14,561
June 8, 1997
Adelaide Rams 50 – 8 Salford Reds Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 11,346
Canberra Raiders 70 – 6 Halifax Blue Sox Bruce Stadium, Canberra Attendance: 7,780
Paris St-Germain 12 – 28 Hunter Mariners Charlety Stadium, Paris Attendance: 3,500
Castleford Tigers 16 – 24 Perth Reds Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Attendance: 3,378
June 9, 1997
Canterbury Bulldogs 18 – 22 Wigan Warriors Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Attendance: 10,680
Bradford Bulls 16 – 20 Penrith Panthers Odsal Stadium, Bradford Attendance: 14,378

Round 2

June 13, 1997
Adelaide Rams 34 – 8 Leeds Rhinos Adelaide Oval, Adelaide Attendance: 14,630
Castleford Tigers 12 – 42 Hunter Mariners Wheldon Road, Castleford Attendance: 3,087
June 14, 1997
North Queensland Cowboys 54 – 16 Oldham Bears Stockland Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 12,631
Bradford Bulls 16 – 20 Auckland Warriors Odsal Stadium, Bradford Attendance: 13,133
June 15, 1997
Canterbury Bulldogs 58 – 6 Halifax Blue Sox Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Attendance: 5,034
Canberra Raiders 66 – 20 London Broncos Bruce Stadium, Canberra Attendance: 6,471
Sheffield Eagles 26 – 22 Perth Reds Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield Attendance: 3,000
Warrington Wolves 22 – 52 Penrith Panthers Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Attendance: 3,850
June 16, 1997
Brisbane Broncos 34 – 0 Wigan Warriors ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 14,833

Round 3

June 20, 1997
Adelaide Rams 42 – 14 {Oldham Bears Adelaide Rams, Adelaide Attendance: 13,852
Bradford Bulls 10 – 30 Cronulla Sharks Odsal Stadium, Bradford Attendance: 10,756
June 21, 1997
North Queensland Cowboys 44 – 8 Salford Reds Stockland Stadium, Townsville Attendance: 15,508
Paris St-Germain 24 – 0 Perth Reds Charlety Stadium, Paris Attendance: 2,500
June 22, 1997
Brisbane Broncos 76 – 0 Halifax Blue Sox ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 11,358
Canberra Raiders 42 – 6 Wigan Warriors Bruce Stadium, Canberra Attendance: 9,098
Canterbury Bulldogs 34 – 18 London Broncos Belmore Sports Ground, Sydney Attendance: 4,000
June 23, 1997
Warrington Wolves 28 – 56 Auckland Warriors Wilderspool Stadium, Warrington Attendance: 4,428
Sheffield Eagles 4 – 40 Hunter Mariners Don Valley Stadium, Sheffield Attendance: 2,500

Round 4

July 18, 1997
Penrith Panthers 48 – 12 Warrington Wolves Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith Attendance: 5,642
Leeds Rhinos 22 – 14 Adelaide Rams Headlingley, Leeds Attendance: 11,269
Oldham Bears 20 – 16 North Queensland Cowboys Boundary Park, Oldham Attendance: 2,961
July 19, 1997
Perth Reds 48 – 12 Sheffield Eagles WACA Ground, Perth Attendance: 7,429
July 20, 1997
Auckland Warriors 64 – 14 Bradford Bulls Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 13,000
Hunter Mariners 26 – 8 Castleford Tigers Topper Stadium, Newcastle Attendance: 3,379
Halifax Blue Sox 22 – 40 Canterbury Bulldogs Thrum Hall, Halifax Attendance: 3,500
Wigan Warriors 4 – 30 Brisbane Broncos Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 12,816
July 21, 1997
Cronulla Sharks 28 – 12 St Helens Shark Park, Sydney Attendance: 7,751
London Broncos 38 – 18 Canberra Raiders The Stoop, London Attendance: 7,819

Round 5

July 25, 1997
Auckland Warriors 70 – 6 St Helens Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 8,500
Oldham Bears 2 – 18 Adelaide Rams Boundary Park, Oldham Attendance: 3,315
July 26, 1997
Cronulla Sharks 44 – 0 Warrington Wolves Shark Park, Sydney Attendance: 6,112
July 27, 1997
Hunter Mariners 32 – 0 Paris St-Germain Topper Stadium, Newcastle Attendance: 2,210
Perth Reds 24 – 14 Castleford Tigers WACA Ground, Perth Attendance: 6,114
London Broncos 16 – 34 Brisbane Broncos The Stoop, London Attendance: 9,846
Salford Reds 14 – 24 North Queensland Cowboys The Willows, Salford Attendance: 7,448
Halifax Blue Sox 12 – 42 Canberra Raiders Thrum Hall, Halifax Attendance: 3,620
July 28, 1997
Penrith Panthers 54 – 14 Bradford Bulls Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith Attendance: 5,332
Wigan Warriors 31 – 24 Canterbury Bulldogs Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 10,280

Round 6

August 1, 1997
Perth Reds 18 – 8 Paris St-Germain WACA Ground, Perth Attendance: 5,160
London Broncos 22 – 44 Canterbury Bulldogs The Stoop, London Attendance: 6,923
August 2, 1997
Cronulla Sharks 40 – 12 Bradford Bulls Shark Park, Sydney Attendance: 8,272
August 3, 1997
Auckland Warriors 16 – 4 Warrington Wolves Lancaster Park, Christchurch Attendance: 6,500
Hunter Mariners 58 – 12 Sheffield Eagles Topper Stadium, Newcastle Attendance: 1,965
Leeds Rhinos 14 – 48 North Queensland Cowboys Headlingley, Leeds Attendance: 12,224
Salford Reds 14 – 12 Adelaide Rams The Willows, Salford Attendance: 6,995
Wigan Warriors 10 – 50 Canberra Raiders Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 12,504
August 4, 1997
Penrith Panthers 32 – 26 St Helens Penrith Football Stadium, Penrith Attendance: 5,000
Halifax Blue Sox 10 – 54 Brisbane Broncos Thrum Hall, Halifax Attendance: 3,255

Playoff

August 20, 1997
St Helens 42 – 4 Paris St-Germain Knowsley Road, St Helens Attendance: -

Quarter-finals

3 October 1997
Auckland Warriors 62 - 14 Bradford Bulls Ericsson Stadium, Auckland Attendance: 9,553
Wigan Warriors 18 - 22 Hunter Mariners Central Park, Wigan Attendance: 9,553
4 October 1997
Brisbane Broncos 66 - 12 St Helens ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 6,438
6 October 1997
London Broncos 16 - 40 Cronulla Sharks The Stoop, London Attendance: 6,239

Semi-finals

10 October 1997
Brisbane Broncos 22 - 16 Auckland Warriors ANZ Stadium, Brisbane Attendance: 9,686
11 October 1997
Cronulla Sharks 18 - 22 Hunter Mariners Shark Park, Sydney Attendance: 5,214

Final

1997 (1997) World Club Championship Final  ()
1 2 Total
BRI Brisbane colours.svg 26 10 36
HUN File:Hunter colours.svg 4 8 12
Date 18 October 1997
Stadium Ericsson Stadium
Location Auckland, New Zealand
Referee Graham Annesley Australia
Attendance 10,300
Broadcast partners
Broadcasters Australia Fox Sports
United Kingdom Sky Sports
Commentators Eddie Hemmings, Mike Stephenson
 < 1994
2000
Brisbane Broncos Posit. Hunter Mariners
Darren Lockyer FB Robbie Ross
Michael De Vere WG Nick Zisti
Darren Smith CE Brad Godden
Steve Renouf CE Kevin Iro
Wendell Sailor WG John Carlaw
Kevin Walters SO Scott Hill
Allan Langer (c) SH Brett Kimmorley
Shane Webcke PR Anthony Brann
John Plath HK Robbie McCormack (c)
Andrew Gee PR Troy Stone
Gordon Tallis SR Darrien Doherty
Brad Thorn SR Paul Marquet
Peter Ryan LF Tyran Smith
Ben Walker Res Keith Beauchamp
Michael Hancock Res Tim Maddison
Tonie Carroll Res Tony Iro
Phillip Lee Res Richard Swain
Wayne Bennett Coach Graham Murray
Friday, 17 October
Brisbane Broncos Brisbane colours.svg 36 – 12 File:Hunter colours.svg Hunter Mariners
Tries:
Darren Smith (3)
John Plath
Steve Renouf
Wendell Sailor
Kevin Walters
Goals:
Michael De Vere (3)
Ben Walker (1)
[2] Tries:
Nick Zisti (2)
John Carlaw



Goals:
Ericsson Stadium, Auckland
Attendance: 10,300
Referee/s: Graham Annesley Australia

Aftermath

The dominance of the Australasian sides in the competition led to the Rugby Football League appointing Joe Lydon to head a commission to provide an explanation.[3]

See also

References

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External links

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