World Club Challenge: Wigan Warriors 16-12 Penrith Panthers – Cherry and Whites crowned world champions for fifth time

Wigan coach Matt Peet told BBC Sport:

“Fantastic game, two outstanding teams. You could see all the way through the game what a fantastic team Penrith are. I couldn’t be prouder of my players. We have to build on it now.

“The players were very brave in the second half. It was a game that we won by never giving in.

“They’re a group of outstanding lads. I love working with them. They never give in and you can see in that game how much it means to them. It was going to take a special effort to get over us tonight, we wanted it so much.

“It’s nights like these that we crave and we’re going to have plenty more.”

Wigan stand-off and man of the match Bevan French told BBC Sport:

“It was very tough, I just think it was a grinding win really.

“We didn’t have much joy being in their territory too often. It feels like we were defending our line for 80 minutes to be honest.

“That is something the boys really pride themselves on. A win like that means a lot more than a comfortable, easy win. Hopefully it is talked about for a long time now.

“They [Penrith] are a very special team and I feel like they were in control the whole game, really.

“It just came down to us digging deep and really wanting it.

“No doubt about it, I don’t think we would have got the job done if it wasn’t here in front of a sold-out Wigan crowd. They really got us home in the end.”

Penrith head coach Ivan Cleary told BBC Sport:

“Wigan took their chances and we didn’t. In the end, that was probably the difference. Pretty high quality game but congrats to Wigan.

“We definitely had the better field position in both halves but we couldn’t put them away and they had three looks at it and scored three tries.

“We should feel that we can do better than that, but at the end of the day they were clinical when they needed to be and that’s what got them the win.

“It was a game of inches. Great game for the crowd that turned out. Unfortunate that we couldn’t win but I’m proud of the boys.

“I’d rather be here and lose than not be here.”

Wigan: Field, Miski, Keighran, Wardle, Marshall, French, H Smith, Cooper, O’Neill, Byrne, Isa, Farrell, Ellis

Interchanges: Mago, Leeming, Dupree, Hill

Penrith: Edwards, Turuva, Tago, May, To’o, Cole, Cleary, Leota, Kenny, Fisher-Harris, Garner, Martin, Yeo

Interchanges: Peachey, L Smith, Henry, Eisenhuth

Referee: Liam Moore