The 2024 rugby league World Club Challenge is just days away from kick-off, as NRL three-peat premiers Penrith Panthers face off against defending Super League champions Wigan Warriors.
33 years on from the 1991 match which saw Wigan triumph 21-4 at Anfield, the Panthers return to north west England off the back of an unprecedented third-straight NRL Grand Final victory. Having lost 13-12 to St Helens on their own patch in last year's World Club Challenge, Ivan Cleary's side will be going all out to win the only title this all-conquering Penrith side is yet to claim.
Wigan, like the Panthers, won a league double in 2023, claiming the League Leaders' Shield - the equivalent of the NRL's Minor Premiership - before defeating Catalans Dragons 10-2 in the Grand Final at Old Trafford. Having recruited heavily in the off-season, the Warriors come into this World Club Challenge match confident they can exercise the ghosts of 1991.
Leading into this historic match at a sold-out DW Stadium in Wigan, head coach Matt Peet was keen to highlight the similarities between both the Warriors and Panthers in their respective competitions.
"We welcome a fantastic team and a fantastic organisation in Penrith, who are absolutely first-rate in how they develop their players and represent their area. There's a lot to admire about them and I think that's also something we pride ourselves on here at Wigan."
Ellis relishing prospect of face-off with old friends
One player with near-unique experience of being in both camps is Wigan forward Kaide Ellis, a Dubbo-born Penrith junior who made his NRL debut for the Panthers in 2018 and made nine further appearances before departing for the Dragons then Super League further down the track.
Speaking with The Sporting News at the Warriors' pre-season media day, Ellis said: "I was lucky enough to get back to Penrith for a bit over Christmas and catch up with a few of the boys I grew up and came through the Panthers' system with, so it's going to be a really special occasion for me personally."
"They're looking forward to it too, and most of the questions I got were about the occasion itself rather than the game - they were mainly asking how cold it's going to be!"
Awarded the prestigious number 13 jersey at Wigan for the 2024 season, following in the footsteps of Ellery Hanley and Andy Farrell, Ellis will help to form the cornerstone of a huge Wigan pack looking to go toe-to-toe with Penrith's.
"We've recruited really well which is obviously a positive, and now have a lot of strength in depth in the prop and lock forward areas," he said.
"I'm really looking forward to that healthy competition throughout the season, but especially in this upcoming game against Penrith because both sides are very similar in both attack and defence. We're really excited to test ourselves against a side of such calibre as these kinds of games don’t come round very often.
Panthers visit reminds veteran forward Isa of his roots
35-year-old Wigan stalwart Willie Isa is another player who has enjoyed lengthy spells with both Penrith and the Warriors, doing so at each end of a long and storied career.
Coming into his ninth season at the DW Stadium, Auckland-born Isa started his life in rugby league at the famous St. Mary's club in the Penrith junior competition, and debuted for the Panthers in 2008. A utility player at both his hometown club and the Melbourne Storm soon after, Isa was reinvented as a hard-running back rower at Widnes Vikings before heading to Wigan in in 2016.
"I’m so proud to be from Penrith and represent that area of Western Sydney every time I walk out onto the pitch. I understand where a lot of those fellas come from and as a proud Samoan myself it's great to see so many of that Panthers team representing on the international stage too."
As one of Wigan's longest-serving players, Isa has played a key role in helping a plethora of new signings - including international forwards Luke Thompson and Tiaki Chan - integrate into a tight-knit group. "I've been here for a long time now, and that leadership role as one of the senior players means I need to help uphold the standards for the club and what the coaching staff represent."
With the World Club Challenge on the horizon, Isa is under no illusions as to the size of the task facing Wigan: "They’re a top, top team with great talent, but we’re also a proud team in a proud town, and we’re on a journey together under Matty Peet."
"We're always trying to progress and be on the up, regardless of the obstacles we have to overcome, so in this game we’re looking to enjoy the moment and embrace it. It's a privileged spot to be in and we’ve worked hard to be contenders for the World Club Challenge, so now we want to finish the job and get out hands on the trophy."
When is the 2024 World Club Challenge?
Wigan will welcome Penrith to their home ground on Saturday, February 24th with kick-off scheduled for 8:00pm local time / 7am AEDT on Sunday, February 25th.
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The visitors have lost the fixture all three times they have appeared in it to date, falling to Wigan back in 1991 along with Bradford and Saints.
The Warriors, on the other hand, have claimed the trophy on four occasions and will be attempting to win a record-equalling fifth WCC title against the side from Down Under.
How to watch Wigan vs. Penrith
The 2024 World Club Challenge will be broadcast by Fox League and Gem in Australia.
The match will also be available to be streamed on Kayo.
Meanwhile, in the UK, the WCC will be shown by regular rugby league broadcaster Sky Sports.
| Country | Time and date | Channel |
|---|---|---|
| Australia | 7:00am AEDT on Sunday, February 25 | Fox League / Gem |
| United Kingdom | 8:00pm GMT on Saturday, February 24 | Sky Sports |
Where is the 2024 World Club Challenge?
The Penrith Panthers will be headed to the north of England where they will take on the Wigan Warriors.
The game will be held at a sold-out DW Stadium in Wigan.
