World Club Challenge

Leeds also won the Club Challenge in 2005 against Canterbury

Leeds: 11 (8)
Tries: Donald
Goals: Sinfield 3
Drops: Sinfield

Melbourne: 4 (4)
Tries: Hoffman

Leeds Rhinos ensured the World Club Challenge trophy stayed in England for a fifth successive year with a tense victory over Melbourne Storm.

The Super League champions overcame wild and windy conditions, with Kevin Sinfield's kicking proving vital.

A Ryan Hoffman try put the Storm ahead before Scott Donald crossed to restore Leeds' advantage just before half-time

And as conditions deteriorated, Sinfield's second penalty and drop goal were the only scores after the break.

Interview: Leeds Rhinos coach Brian McClennan

The Rhinos' victory - their second in the fixture after beating Canterbury in 2005 - was marred by injuries to Danny McGuire, Clinton Toopi and Keith Senior.

But for the moment they will celebrate a monumental triumph, albeit over a Storm side which has been largely inactive since winning their Grand Final against Manly in September.

606: DEBATE As hard and as tough a game I have seen in years Southsydneynrl

The visitors looked the more composed early on, however, and after a Sinfield penalty put Leeds ahead, Cooper Cronk played in Hoffman to jink over after a flowing move.

In appalling conditions, the game developed into an attritional battle in which Leeds were struggling to break down the formidable Melbourne defence.

However, Webb was 20 metres out when he skipped across to the left before slipping the ball through to Donald, who motored over for a crucial score.

In the second half, the Australian outfit tried desperately to find a chink in the Leeds rearguard, notably through Cronk, Billy Slater and Will Chambers.

But they could find no way through and their frustration resulted in lapses in discipline, which Sinfield punished despite complaining about a laser beam being shone into his eyes.

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Leeds: Webb, Smith, Toopi, Senior, Donald, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Ellis, Sinfield.
Substitutes: Lauitiiti, Ablett, Scruton, Bailey.

Melbourne: Slater, S. Turner, Chambers, Folau, Quinn, Geyer, Cronk, Lima, J. Smith, White, Kaufusi, Hoffman, Johnson.
Substitutes: Aitken, Blair, Manu, Tagataese.

Att: 33,204

Ref: A Klein (Australia).