Two hemispheres collided in the first of two Dacia World Club Challenge matches, this one at the Halliwell-Jones Stadium in Warrington. The Warrington Wolves took on the Brisbane Broncos for the pride of the British game.

The home side were boosted by the inclusion of Kevin Brown and Ben Westwood and Tony Smith knew his side would need all of their fire power to take the game to a big and experienced Australian side.

The hopes of a nation were with the Wolves.

There were just 100 seconds on the clock when the Wolves opened the scoring. A Ben Hunt kick charge down by Joe Westerman saw him pick up the ball and make 80 metres before being hauled down by the chaser. A fast play the ball allowed Kevin Brown pick up from acting half-back, show the ball to the right, dart left and sprint over from ten metres. Declan Patton kicked the extra two for a 6-0 lead.

A fifth minute penalty for holding down against Matt Gillett allowed Patton to kick another two points.

The Wolves were dominating position and possession when on thirteen Ryan Atkins spun out of an ankle tackle, off a Brown pass, to drop over the line for Warrington's second try of the night. Patton agains kicked the goal for 14-0. It was a dream start.

When Bronco David Mead knocked on a Brown high kick, the Wolves used four tackles before a Patton long pass found Matty Russell who stepped off both feet to come inside and score a four pointer. Patton kicked the ball between the uprights from close to the touchline for a twenty point lead with the Wolves scoring more than a point a minute.

On twenty-five the Broncos finally opened their account thanks to a fantastic flowing move which saw Cory Oates at the end of a three man passing move to cross and ground on his back. Jordan Kahu converted from the touchline.

On thirty-eight the Wolves got the perfect pre-half-time lift when Tom Lineham went down the blind side from acting half-back to ground short and slide onto the line to score. Patton missed his first attempt of the night but at 24-6 it was the Wolves who were going into the interval seemingly in full control of the game.

Just four minutes after the restart and the Broncos scored a ninety metre try from back of the scrum when James Roberts took the ball almost the full length of the field from first receiver. Kahu added the extras, again from wide, for 24-12.

As the half wore on it became a real arm wrestle and then on the hour mark it erupted into a mass brawl but despite a flurry of punches Phil Bentham decided to leave all players on the field. The peace lasted ninety seconds before another flurry of punches, again Bentham took no punitive action.

On sixty-two the Wolves moved the ball downfield and on the fourth tackle set up for a Patton drop goal to extend the lead to thirteen points. Two minutes later and Josh McGuire interfered at the play the ball and Patton kicked the penalty from under the Brisbane sticks.

With nine minutes remaining Tom Lineham failed to knock a Darius Boyd kick dead in goal and David Mead managed to ground the ball before it rolled out of the goal area. Kahu again added the extras.

Both sides threw every last ounce of strength that they had into the last ten minutes but defences held firm to halt any further points.

This was a high-octane, high-quality game which saw a Super League victory over the NRL and the northern hemisphere go one game ahead in the two game series. All credit to Warrington who stuck to their game plan, did all of the damage in the opening twenty minutes, a registered a thrilling victory.

Wolves: Gidley, Russell (T), Evans, Atkins (T), Lineham (T), Brown (T), Patton (5G, DG), Cooper, Clark, Sims, Savelio, Hughes, Westerman. Subs: Dwyer, Westwood, Livett, Philbin.

Broncos: Boyd, Oates (T), Roberts (T), Kahu (3G), Mead (T), Milford, Hunt, Ofahenguae, McCullough, Ese'Ese, Thaiday, Gillett, McGuire. Subs: Glenn, Pangai, Arrow, Fai.

Referee: Phil Bentham.

Half-Time: 24-6.

Full-Time: 27-18.

Attendance: 12,082.