Summary

  • Full-time: Melbourne Storm 38-4 Leeds Rhinos

  • NRL Grand Final winners Melbourne defeat Super League champions Leeds

  • Storm scored 38 unanswered points after Ryan Hall's early try for Leeds

  1. Team newspublished at 08:48 Greenwich Mean Time 16 February 2018

    Melbourne v Leeds (09:00 GMT)

    Melbourne: Slater; Vunivalu, Chambers, Scott, Addo-Carr; Munster, Croft; J Bromwich, C Smith, Glasby, Kaufusi, Hoffman, Finucane.

    Replacements: B Smith, Solomona, K Bromwich, Welch.

    Leeds: Walker; Briscoe, Watkins, Sutcliffe, Hall; Moon, Myler; Cuthbertson, Parcell, Singleton, Jones-Buchanan, Ablett, Ward.

    Replacements: Dwyer, Delaney, Keinhorst, Ormondroyd.

  2. Familiar foespublished at 08:46 Greenwich Mean Time 16 February 2018

    Melbourne v Leeds (09:00 GMT)

    Melbourne StormImage source, SWPIX.COM

    This is the fourth time that Leeds and Melbourne have met in this competition, but the first time that the Rhinos will face the Storm in their own backyard.

    Twice the NRL premiers have been to Elland Road, winning in 2010 after losing two years previously, before beating the Rhinos at Headingley the last time they met in 2013.

    However, the record books will show just one WCC win for the Storm. They were stripped of their 2010 honour and 2009 premiership after salary cap breaches. Ouch.

  3. The world at their feetpublished at 08:45 Greenwich Mean Time 16 February 2018

    Melbourne v Leeds (09:00 GMT)

    Leeds lifting the Super League title and Cameron Smith hoists the NRL trophyImage source, Getty Images

    St Helens took part in the first competition, Wigan were the first English team to win it and have the most victories but no club has flown the World Club Challenge flag for the northern hemisphere more frequently than Leeds Rhinos.

    The Rhinos take part in their record eighth final after winning the 2017 Super League title but this is their first trip down under.

    Not since Wigan turned the tables on Brisbane Broncos in 1994 has a northern hemisphere team won on their travels.

    Can the Rhinos grasp that baton and sprint to the finish? Stick with us to find out.