It was the best of the North against the best of the South. Super League's finest club side in 2016 were taking on the best that the NRL had to offer, their 2016 Grand Final winners. It was Wigan Warriors against Cronulla Sharks for the ultimate club prize, the Dacia World Club Champions crown.

Wigan were seeking a record fourth World Club Championship, after being victorious in 87, 91 & 94, but this was the Cronulla Sharks first outing in a World Club Challenge final.

After the Warrington Wolves did the business last night, now the whole of Super League expected a top class showing from the Warriors.

Both sides had made unforced errors in the early exchanges but on Wigan's first attack, three and a half minutes into the game, Joe Burgess scored an acrobatic try diving in by the left corner flag. Morgan Escare failed to add the extra two points but it was just the start that the Warriors and their supporters wanted.

On six it looked like the Sharks had hit straight back, but the video referee ruled out a Luke Lewis try because Jesse Raimen was in an offside position from the initial kick through.

On twenty-three Joe Burgess went in again, this time after stepping off his left foot to weave his way through the Cronulla defence down the left hand side to score. Escare kicked the conversion for a 10-0 lead.

On thirty-one Kurt Capewell had a try turned down by the video referee after he collected a bouncing ball and grounded it with the smallest off its surface area on the sideline.

A great Wigan defensive effort kept the Sharks at bay until the interval despite monumental pressure on their line.

The first points of the second half came from Oliver Gildart on forty-four when he took a Joel Tomkins pass to duck under a tackle and come inside to go over from five metres. Escare kicked the goal superbly from near the touchline for 16-0.

Cronulla finally registered their first points when Wigan failed to clear the lines and a Gerard Beale kick was grounded wide right by Jesse Raiman. James Maloney kicked the extras from close to the touchline.

In the dying seconds Joe Burgess got his hat-trick try when he used his little finger to touch down a bouncing grubbed kick through. Escare added the extras for a famous 22-6 win and a 2-0 victory for Super League over the NRL.

At times the Warriors rode their luck, and they had the best of the referees whistle, but take nothing away from them, they deserved this win and outplayed the Cronulla Sharks for long periods of the game.

In a reversal of the fortunes twelve months ago the Super League white washed the Aussies and the whole of Super League can be proud of what our sides have achieved over the last twenty-four hours.

Warriors: Escare (3G), Tierney, Gelling, Gildart (T), Burgess (3T), Williams, Leuluai, Nuuausala, Powell, Flower, Bateman, Farrell, O'Loughlin. Subs: Tomkins J., Clubb, Tautai, Sutton.

Sharks: Beale, Raimen (T), Bird, Leutele, Capewell, Moloney (G), Townsend, Fifita, Brailey, Prior, Lewis, Graham, Gallen. Subs: Brown, Heighington, Bukuya, Tagatase.

Referee: Robert Hicks.

Half-Time: 10-0.

Full-Time: 22-6.

Attendance: 21,011.