Yayarg
04-02-2006, 08:01 AM
Wests lose World Club Challenge
From correspondents in Huddersfield
February 4, 2006
STUART Fielden led Bradford to a record-equalling third World Club Challenge title as the English Super League champions beat Australian National Rugby League (NRL) premiers Wests Tigers 30-10 at the Galpharm Stadium overnight.
Great Britain forward Fielden, the man-of-the-match, scored two tries as did Bradford debutant Marcus Bai.
And Bai's fellow Papua New Guinean Stanley Gene made the game safe for Bradford with their fourth try.
New Bulls captain Iestyn Harris goaled four tries and also kicked a penalty. Wests managed just two tries in reply to Bradford's five, from scrum-half Daniel Fitzhenry and Brett Hodgson, the full-back goaling his own score.
Bradford, who beat Newcastle Knights in 2002 and Penrith in 2004, equalled the record of Super League rivals Wigan and made it nine wins in 12 World Club Challenge matches for British clubs, although most of those matches have taken place on English soil.
And with the new Super League season just a week away Bradford's sharpness came as no surprise.
Victory also saw Bai win a third world club contest after previous successes with Melbourne and Leeds.
Before kick-off Bradford scrum-half Paul Deacon was ruled out with a hamstring injury, Bulls coach Brian Noble decididing to save him ahead of the start of the Super League next week.
It would have been Deacon's first game since he suffered horrendous facial injuries in Great Britain's defeat of New Zealand at the same stadium in November.
Bai gave Bulls an ideal start, scoring in the sixth minute.
Fellow winger Lesley Vainikolo had been held up over the line, but Australian Michael Withers's superb long pass sent Bai over unchallenged.
However, it was a controversial score with Bradford appearing to score on a 'seventh' tackle, one more than the maximum permitted six an attacking team can absorb before handing over possession, after English referee Steve Ganson became confused over the count earlier in the move.
Wests - fighting the effects of jet lag and the cold British weather - fought back with their first attack of note, Fitzhenry cutting inside to leave the Bulls defence flat-footed.
The Bulls though hit back through the inspirational Fielden after Bradford hooker Ian Henderson intercepted.
Fielden burst through several tackles and Iestyn Harris added the first goal of the match.
Bradford continued to press but their only other score of the first-half was a close range Harris penalty which left them with a 12-4 lead.
The Bulls dominated possession early in the second-half but West defence held firm until the 55th minute when the impressive Fielden was released by Henderson's neat pass close to the Australians' line and strolled over.
Harris goaled and Bradford were 18-4 ahead. Gene and Bai then took Bradford further ahead before full-back Hodgson scored a consolation try for Wests.
Bradford 30: (tries: Bai 2, Fielden 2, Gene 1; Goals - Harris 5) Wests Tigers 10: (Fitzhenry, Hodgson tries; Hodgson one goal)
Agence France-Presse
From correspondents in Huddersfield
February 4, 2006
STUART Fielden led Bradford to a record-equalling third World Club Challenge title as the English Super League champions beat Australian National Rugby League (NRL) premiers Wests Tigers 30-10 at the Galpharm Stadium overnight.
Great Britain forward Fielden, the man-of-the-match, scored two tries as did Bradford debutant Marcus Bai.
And Bai's fellow Papua New Guinean Stanley Gene made the game safe for Bradford with their fourth try.
New Bulls captain Iestyn Harris goaled four tries and also kicked a penalty. Wests managed just two tries in reply to Bradford's five, from scrum-half Daniel Fitzhenry and Brett Hodgson, the full-back goaling his own score.
Bradford, who beat Newcastle Knights in 2002 and Penrith in 2004, equalled the record of Super League rivals Wigan and made it nine wins in 12 World Club Challenge matches for British clubs, although most of those matches have taken place on English soil.
And with the new Super League season just a week away Bradford's sharpness came as no surprise.
Victory also saw Bai win a third world club contest after previous successes with Melbourne and Leeds.
Before kick-off Bradford scrum-half Paul Deacon was ruled out with a hamstring injury, Bulls coach Brian Noble decididing to save him ahead of the start of the Super League next week.
It would have been Deacon's first game since he suffered horrendous facial injuries in Great Britain's defeat of New Zealand at the same stadium in November.
Bai gave Bulls an ideal start, scoring in the sixth minute.
Fellow winger Lesley Vainikolo had been held up over the line, but Australian Michael Withers's superb long pass sent Bai over unchallenged.
However, it was a controversial score with Bradford appearing to score on a 'seventh' tackle, one more than the maximum permitted six an attacking team can absorb before handing over possession, after English referee Steve Ganson became confused over the count earlier in the move.
Wests - fighting the effects of jet lag and the cold British weather - fought back with their first attack of note, Fitzhenry cutting inside to leave the Bulls defence flat-footed.
The Bulls though hit back through the inspirational Fielden after Bradford hooker Ian Henderson intercepted.
Fielden burst through several tackles and Iestyn Harris added the first goal of the match.
Bradford continued to press but their only other score of the first-half was a close range Harris penalty which left them with a 12-4 lead.
The Bulls dominated possession early in the second-half but West defence held firm until the 55th minute when the impressive Fielden was released by Henderson's neat pass close to the Australians' line and strolled over.
Harris goaled and Bradford were 18-4 ahead. Gene and Bai then took Bradford further ahead before full-back Hodgson scored a consolation try for Wests.
Bradford 30: (tries: Bai 2, Fielden 2, Gene 1; Goals - Harris 5) Wests Tigers 10: (Fitzhenry, Hodgson tries; Hodgson one goal)
Agence France-Presse