2006 World Club Challenge
Encyclopedia
The 2006 World Club Challenge
was a Rugby League
match held on Friday, 3 February, 2006, at Galpharm Stadium
, Huddersfield, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls
and Wests Tigers
.
15 - 6 at Old Trafford
. This Grand Final
win avenged a defeat to the same team in the title decider the year before.
to earn a place in the World Club Challenge. The Tigers had reached the Grand Final for the first time since their formation five years earlier following a merger of Balmain Tigers
and Western Suburbs
.
-winning team: star stand-off half back Benji Marshall
had undergone shoulder surgery in the off season; winger Pat Richards
and forward Mark O'Neill had signed to play with other clubs, and Dene Halatau
, Todd Payten
and Shane Elford
were also absent.
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...
was a Rugby League
Rugby league
Rugby league football, usually called rugby league, is a full contact sport played by two teams of thirteen players on a rectangular grass field. One of the two codes of rugby football, it originated in England in 1895 by a split from Rugby Football Union over paying players...
match held on Friday, 3 February, 2006, at Galpharm Stadium
Galpharm Stadium
The Galpharm Stadium, formerly the Alfred McAlpine Stadium, is a multi-use sports in Huddersfield in West Yorkshire, England. Since 1994, it has been the home ground of Huddersfield Town and Super League side, Huddersfield Giants.-The Stadium:...
, Huddersfield, UK. The game was contested by Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league....
and Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers
The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
.
Bradford Bulls
Bradford Bulls qualified for the Challenge after being crowned the 2005 Super League champions, defeating their local rivals Leeds RhinosLeeds Rhinos
Leeds Rhinos is an English professional rugby league football club based in Leeds, West Yorkshire. The club won the 2011 Super League and became the most successful club in the Super League era, beating St Helens 32-16 on 8th October 2011. Formed in 1890, Leeds competes in Europe's Super League...
15 - 6 at Old Trafford
Old Trafford
Old Trafford commonly refers to two sporting arenas:* Old Trafford, home of Manchester United F.C.* Old Trafford Cricket Ground, home of Lancashire County Cricket ClubOld Trafford can also refer to:...
. This Grand Final
Super League Grand Final
The Super League Grand Final is the championship-deciding game of the Super League rugby league football competition...
win avenged a defeat to the same team in the title decider the year before.
Wests Tigers
Wests Tigers clinched the 2005 National Rugby League title in a 30 - 16 defeat of North Queensland CowboysNorth Queensland Cowboys
The North Queensland Cowboys are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Townsville, Queensland. They compete in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership...
to earn a place in the World Club Challenge. The Tigers had reached the Grand Final for the first time since their formation five years earlier following a merger of Balmain Tigers
Balmain Tigers
The Balmain Tigers are a rugby league football club based in the inner-western Sydney suburb of Balmain. They were a founding member of the New South Wales Rugby League and one of the most successful in the history of the premiership, with eleven titles...
and Western Suburbs
Western Suburbs Magpies
The Western Suburbs Magpies are an Australian rugby league football club based in the western suburbs of Sydney, New South Wales. Formed in 1908, Wests, as they are commonly referred to, were one of the nine foundation clubs of the first New South Wales Rugby League competition in Australia...
.
Teams
The Tigers were without six of their 2005 NRL grand final2005 NRL Grand Final
The 2005 NRL Grand Final was the conclusive and premiership-deciding game of the 2005 National Rugby League season. It was played on the night of Sunday, 2 October at Sydney's Telstra Stadium between 4th-placed Wests Tigers and 5th-placed North Queensland Cowboys, the only two clubs in the...
-winning team: star stand-off half back Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall
Benji Marshall is a professional rugby league footballer with the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A goal-kicking five-eighth, he is the current captain of the New Zealand national team, with whom he won the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations tournaments...
had undergone shoulder surgery in the off season; winger Pat Richards
Pat Richards
Pat Richards is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wigan Warriors of Europe's Super League. An Ireland and Exiles international representative winger, he previously played in the National Rugby League for Sydney clubs the Parramatta Eels and Wests Tigers, winning the 2005...
and forward Mark O'Neill had signed to play with other clubs, and Dene Halatau
Dene Halatau
Dene Halatau is a professional rugby league footballer for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the National Rugby League . A New Zealand international representative forward, he previously played club football for the Wests Tigers, with whom he won the 2005 NRL Premiership.-Bipgraphy:Halatau is...
, Todd Payten
Todd Payten
Todd Payten is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Sydney Roosters and the Canberra Raiders, and played junior football with the Temora Dragons...
and Shane Elford
Shane Elford
Shane Elford , is an Australian rugby league player for the Penrith Panthers. He has previously played for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League and his position of choice is at Centre....
were also absent.
| Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls Bradford Bulls is a professional rugby league club based in the city of Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. They play in the European Super League and are currently joint 10th in the league.... |
Wests Tigers Wests Tigers The Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs... |
|
|---|---|---|
| Michael Withers Michael Withers Michael Withers is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s who represented at international level for Ireland. He played club football in Australia for the Balmain Tigers of the National Rugby League, and in England with Wigan Warriors and Bradford Bulls of... |
Fullback | Brett Hodgson Brett Hodgson Brett Hodgson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Warrington Wolves of Super League... |
| Marcus Bai Marcus Bai Marcus Bai is a Papua New Guinean former rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. Primarily a winger, he played his final season in 2006 for English Super League team Bradford Bulls. He is the only man to win the World Club Challenge with three different clubs... |
Winger | Shannon McDonnell |
| Ben Harris Ben Harris Ben Harris is an Australian former rugby league player. He is the first player in the history of the sport to have won grand finals in each hemisphere over consecutive seasons. He played in the National Rugby League for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, with whom he won the 2004 premiership, and... |
Centre | Dean Collis Dean Collis Dean Collis is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Cronulla Sharks club in the National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays at centre.-Career:... |
| Shontayne Hape Shontayne Hape Shontayne Hape is a New Zealand-born rugby footballer, a dual-code rugby international. He plays rugby union at centre for London Irish and England. He has also previously played rugby league for the Bradford Bulls in Super League and New Zealand Warriors in the National Rugby League... |
Centre | Paul Whatuira Paul Whatuira Paul Whatuira is a professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Parramatta Eels in the NRL... |
| Lesley Vainikolo Lesley Vainikolo Lesley Vainikolo is a dual code professional rugby football player who currently plays for Gloucester Rugby. He plays on the wing.... |
Winger | Jamaal Lolesi |
| Karl Pryce Karl Pryce Karl Pryce is an English rugby league player who currently plays for Wigan in the Super League competition. His position of choice is on the wing. Pryce previously played rugby league with the Bradford Bulls until 2006... |
Stand Off / Five-eighth | Daniel Fitzhenry Daniel Fitzhenry Daniel Fitzhenry is a former Australian professional rugby league player in Australia's NRL. He played for Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition before his switch to Hull KR before his release in October 2009. He returned to Wests Tigers in 2010... |
| Iestyn Harris Iestyn Harris Iestyn Rhys Harris is a Welsh former rugby league footballer, who is currently the assistant coach at Wigan Warriors. Harris is a former Man of Steel winner and has also represented Wales on numerous occasions at both codes of rugby... (c) |
Scrum Half / Halfback | Scott Prince Scott Prince Scott Prince is an Australian professional rugby league footballer and current captain of the Gold Coast Titans club of the National Rugby League... (c) |
| Stuart Fielden Stuart Fielden Stuart Fielden is an English professional rugby league footballer for Wigan of Super League... |
Prop | Ryan O'Hara Ryan O'Hara Ryan O'Hara is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently captains Welsh club Crusaders of Europe's Super League... |
| Ian Henderson | Hooker | Robbie Farah Robbie Farah Robert Peter "Robbie" Farah is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Wests Tigers club in the National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays at hooker and can operate as a half-back... |
| Andy Lynch | Prop | John Skandalis John Skandalis John Skandalis is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the NRL. He played previously for the Western Suburbs Magpies and Huddersfield Giants... |
| Paul Johnson | 2nd Row | Anthony Laffranchi Anthony Laffranchi Anthony Laffranchi is an Australian professional rugby league player for St Helens RLFC in the European Super League. He primarily plays in the second-row. He previously played for the Wests Tigers... |
| Bradley Meyers | 2nd Row | Chris Heighington Chris Heighington Chris Heighington is an Australian born England international rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A Country NSW representative lock forward, he has also been selected to represent England at international level... |
| Jamie Langley Jamie Langley Jamie Langley is an English professional rugby league footballer with the Bradford Bulls of Super League... |
Loose Forward / Lock | Ben Galea Ben Galea Ben Galea is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for Hull Kingston Rovers in the European Super League. He previously played for the Balmain Tigers and Wests Tigers... |
| Joe Vagana Joe Vagana Joe Vagana is a former professional rugby league footballer of the 1990s and 2000s. During his career Vagana played for the Auckland Warriors and the Bradford Bulls and also represented both Samoa and New Zealand in international competition... |
Interchange | Bryce Gibbs |
| Stanley Gene Stanley Gene Stanley Gene is a former Papua New Guinean rugby league player who currently coaches the Villeneuve Leopards in the Elite One Championship in France. He recently played for Halifax in the Co-operative Championship. He has also previously played for Hull KR, Huddersfield Giants and Bradford Bulls... |
Interchange | Liam Fulton Liam Fulton Liam Mark Fulton is an Australian professional rugby league footballer. He play for the Wests Tigers in the National Rugby League competition. Fulton primarily plays at lock.... |
| Brett Ferres Brett Ferres Brett Ferres is an English professional rugby league footballer who is currently contracted to English club Castleford Tigers of the European Super League competition. He plays at either as a loose forward/Lock or a second row.Ferres was a member of the England Academy side that toured Australia... |
Interchange | Bronson Harrison Bronson Harrison Bronson Harrison is a professional rugby league footballer for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League. He primarily plays at lock. He previously played for the Wests Tigers... |
| Matt Cook | Interchange | Sam Harris |
| Brian Noble Brian Noble (rugby league) Brian 'Nobby' D. Noble is an English former rugby league footballer. Noble is also the former coach of the Great Britain National Rugby League team. He was also the captain of the 1984 Great Britain touring team to Australia... |
Coach | Tim Sheens Tim Sheens Tim Sheens is an Australian professional rugby league football coach and former player. He currently coaches the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League and in 2009 was appointed coach of the Australian national team, the Kangaroos... |