lupestripe | Sponsored By Big Soup

Wolfie, Skavinski and I have just come back from the World Club Challenge game between Leeds Rhinos and Manly Sea Eagles. The competition was sponsored by Heinz Big Soup (Go Big or Go Hungry), and they were giving out free cups of the slop at the game. It was quite nice I guess but I prefer the cream of tomato soup that Heinz do. It's nice washed down with some Tetley's though.

The match itself - I am talking Rugby League here by the way - was between the champions of England and the champions of Australia, the countries with the two greatest leagues in the sport. You could tell it was Manly's off-season as they did look a little rusty, particularly in the first half. Their guys were massive, strong and powerful, but they lacked the finesse of the Leeds lads and this creativity ultimately paid off in a win that was grinding and tough. Although the Rhinos perhaps rode their luck at times and scored a couple of opportunistic tries, they deserved to win. Perhaps not by the 26-12 scoreline but no-one can begrudge them their victory in what was an intriguing rather than explosive encounter.

I have never seen Headingley so rammed, they had clearly oversold the tickets in the standing end, where we were. We were forced behind an advertising hoarding for a bit but we could still see the majority of the pitch and the atmosphere was electric. We could also see Ronnie the Rhino's excellent dancing at half-time - he had learned all the moves and everything. Very impressive.

So yep, Leeds are now World Champions and everyone, aside from the Manly supporters, left happy. Their fans were great though, very talkative and friendly, even though I kept calling their team the Seagulls rather than the Sea Eagles. It takes some dedication to travel to Leeds on a rainy and windy Friday night in February from the other side of the world but fair play to them. Hopefully we'll meet each other again in next season's World Club Challenge.