‘A seismic moment for British rugby league’ - St Helens boss on World Club Challenge win

All for one and one for all is the motto most famously linked with French author Alexandre Dumas’ 19th century novel, The Three Musketeers, and it most certainly applies to St Helens - the newly-crowned swashbuckling kings of Rugby League world .

There wasn’t a sword to be seen but they cut defending champions Penrith Panthers  apart with a ruthless display of all round teamwork and the final 13-12 score line in an absorbing World Club Challenge didn’t fully reflect their all round superiority.

Head coach Paul Wellens, who played full-back in Saints’ previous world title win over Brisbane in Bolton in 2007, said: “I remember watching Wigan come over here and beat that great Brisbane team of 94 and given that a victory like that has not happened since, it is obviously a seismic moment for British rugby league.

“We came over here with a determination around getting a result and had the belief that we could win. At the same time we knew we had to play well and go through periods where it was extremely tough. I have just said to the players it is a monumental victory for the club and Super League itself.

Captain James Roby added: "It’s the highlight of my career, coming here and playing Penrith. Everyone had written us off against the holders but we proved them all wrong on the night.

"We’ve always had an inner conviction that we know what we are about and what we can achieve and went out and did it."