WCC
St Helens 18 d. Brisbane Broncos 14

2007 World Club Challenge Index [Draw] [Player Stats] [Club Headlines]

Location: International > Other > First Grade Competition: World Club Challenge

Losing: A Foreign Feeling for Lockyer
Sun February 25, 2007
One man experienced a foreign feeling in England on Friday night. The feeling was losing and the man was Darren Lockyer.

After playing out one of rugby league's most successful individual seasons in 2006, captaining the Brisbane Broncos, Queensland Maroons and Australia to victory Lockyer failed to add the World Club Challenge to his trophy cabinet. Saint Helens ended that dream by recording an 18-14 victory over the Broncos in front of 23,203 lively fans in Bolton.

After the match Lockyer remained upbeat saying, "Obviously we came here to win, but we'll definitely take some positives out of it (the loss) as well. We looked good at times and showed positive signs. It was just our execution that needs to be better. At the end of the day we probably hadn't played enough football and were a little rough around the edges. But I don't want to sit here and make excuses, Saint Helens were the better team."

Looking ahead to the 2007 NRL season Lockyer is confident the Broncos can take their game to another level and improve as a team. "I think we can be a better team this year. We want to continue to improve as a team."

When pressed on his individual aspirations for the year ahead Lockyer provided little but did say, "Individually I want to improve, especially as a captain."

Lockyer outlined the secret to the Broncos success. "You've got to start well to ease the pressure. You've also got to have a little luck with injuries. Each week is a challenge in itself. It's simple, work hard during the week to prepare for every game, 30 weeks a year."

Last year the Broncos began their season with a 58-10 loss to the Melbourne Storm in their final trial game. They followed that loss with an embarrassing 36-4 defeat at home to the North Queensland Cowboys. Fast forward a year and the defending premiers can feel optimistic about their title hopes following the narrow loss in England.

* Interview done by Chris Walker at Bolton Stadium on Friday night immediately following the World Club Challenge.


World Club Challenge: Scoring Details
Sat February 24, 2007
Brisbane raced to an early 8-0 lead in the World Club Challenge played just a few hours ago and despite having the best preparation of any Australian side since 2003 managed to slowly fall away with an Ade Gardner try in the 70th minute proving to be the difference.

The Broncos came into the World Club Challenge with a smooth preparation where they defeated the Celtic Crusaders 32-6 in a solid hit out whereas the Saints Super League form was anything but good. They had a shaky victory over Huddersfield in the opening round and than lost to lowly ranked duo Harlequins and Wakefield in successive weeks. St Helens came into the World Club Challenge as massive underdogs considering that Brisbane had a game under their belts - something Penrith, Canterbury and Wests Tigers didn't and that the Saints form was dreadful.

Inspired by Paul Sculthorpe who was returning from injury and two tries from Ade Gardner, the Saints pegged back the Broncos and came away with victory.

Brisbane can't blame the lack of preparation for the loss nor can they blame the referee with an Australian in charge of the clash.

It was a great World Club Challenge clash between two fine sides played in front of a bumper crowd at Bolton's Reebok Stadium.

Below is how the game transpired in terms of scoring:

6th - Brisbane Try by Corey Parker
7th - Brisbane Goal by Corey Parker
Score: Brisbane 6-0

13th - Brisbane Goal by Corey Parker
Score: Brisbane 8-0

40th - St Helens Try by Ade Gardner
40th - St Helens Goal by Paul Sculthorpe
Score: Brisbane 8-6

Half Time: Brisbane 8 lead St Helens 6

43rd - Brisbane Try by Darius Boyd
44th - Brisbane Goal missed by Corey Parker
Score: Brisbane 12-6

57th - St Helens Try by Paul Sculthorpe
59th - St Helens Goal by Paul Sculthorpe
Score: Level 12-all

64th - Brisbane Goal by Corey Parker
Score: Brisbane 14-12

70th - St Helens Try by Ade Gardner
72nd - St Helens Goal by Paul Sculthorpe
Score: St Helens 18-14

Full Time: St Helens 18 defeated Brisbane 14

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