Golden Point score wins World Club Challenge for Brisbane Broncos against Wigan

Joe Burgess scored a last-minute try that forced extra-time against Brisbane

The Brisbane Broncos were taken to extra time before defeating Wigan Warriors 14-12 with a Golden Point in the World Club Challenge Series on Saturday.

With a minute to go in normal time, Sydney-bound winger Joe Burgess produced a strong hand-off deep in his own half to run clear and score following an exchange of passes with Wigan team-mate George Williams.

The conversion by Matty Smith tied the scores at 12-all in an exhausting encounter in front of a 20,842 crowd at the DW Stadium, taking the game to a Golden Point climax.

After several failed attempts to score in extra time, Brisbane won a penalty in front of the posts and Corey Parker slotted it to win the match and make it 2-0 to the NRL in the new three-match World Club Challenge Series.

With Warrington going down 18-12 to St George Illawarra in the opening game on Friday night, it will be up to champions St Helens to restore Super League's pride when they take on South Sydney Rabbitohs in the all-important World Club Challenge on Sunday.

Members of Wigan's victorious World Club Challenge team of 1994 provided a guard of honour for Shaun Wane's men but they were unable to reproduce the heroics of Shaun Edwards and company despite a valiant effort on a glue-pot pitch against a Brisbane side containing nine internationals in their starting line-up.

Just like Warrington 24 hours earlier, Wigan - without skipper Sean O'Loughlin - gave their visitors an early helping hand.

Burgess, who has endured an unhappy start to his final season with Wigan, successfully diffused two early bombs from Ben Hunt but the second time lost the ball in Jordan Kahu's tackle just short of his own line.

That presented Broncos captain Andrew McCullough with a gift-wrapped try, which was goaled by Parker.

Wigan responded splendidly and they drew level on 24 minutes when England second rower Liam Farrell raced onto George Williams' grubber kick for a try which Smith converted.

Blunder

Another blunder from Burgess meant Wigan were forced into some desperate defence but they held firm up to half-time, with the scores locked at 6-6.

Stalemate set in for a time but the Broncos looked ominous and there was no stopping left winger Lachlan Maranta on 55 minutes when he took Hodges' pass to touch down at the corner.

Parker was unable to add the goal but was on target with a penalty after the hard-working John Bateman was punished for a foul.

Both sets of players were out on their feet at the end as the heavy pitch began to take its toll and the last thing they wanted was extra time.

But, with time fast running out, Burgess found the energy to get around his man 20 metres out from his own line and, after sprinting clear, took a return pass from Williams to touch down for a glorious try.

The game ended on an anti-climax in extra time when Wigan were pulled up for a ball steal on Parker 15 metres from their own line.

The drama did not end there for Wigan centre Anthony Gelling was sin-binned for charging down Parker's penalty kick and was forced to watch from the sidelines as the Brisbane man coolly slotted over his second attempt.