Your 10 point guide to Wigan's World Club history - from the wacky to the wonderful

1. The atmosphere crackled as 37,000 fans – some are convinced there were more – packed Central Park for the epic contest as Wigan beat Manly 8-2 in 1987.

Wigan’s victorious team was entirely English (Dean Bell was injured, and fellow Kiwi Graeme West was an unused substitute) and ex-Warriors coach Shaun Wane won the man of the match prize. And he later revealed how team-mate Joe Lydon had helped rev’ him up for the biggest game of his life.

“Joe told me that Ronnie Gibbs had been calling me a soft so-and-so, so I went at him,” said Wane. “It was only afterwards Joe told me he’d made it up. And then I found out Gibbs was a golden glove champion in Australia! Joe certainly got me there!”

With that in mind, there was a sense of poetic justice to the fact Gibbs was sent off for elbowing Lydon early in the second-half... but not before Wane had got stuck into the Manly forward nicknamed ‘Rambo’!

2. The highlight of the 1991 WCC between Wigan and Penrith – staged at Liverpool’s Anfield – was a long-range try from the late David Myers, who supported a Shaun Edwards break to seal the 21-4 victory.

Wigan were 8-0 up inside 13 minutes courtesy of the boot of Frano Botica and a string of penalties in their favour from French referee Alain Sablayrolles.

3. It’s not all been about the World Club Challenge. In 1992, Wigan took part in the Sydney Sevens - and won.

The rain-lashed conditions may have suited the touring side. Legend has it that, having lost a group match, the players sloped off for a beer presuming they hadn’t progressed – only to discover they had gone through under the “most tries scored” rule.

They went onto beat Penrith in the quarters, Denis Betts scored an extra-time winner against Manly in the semi and then they overcame Brisbane in the final – with Martin Offiah scoring four tries. That haul took his tally to six in the competition, securing him the Man of the Series award... although it is some of the Australian commentary which sticks in the memory, including “Offiah showed more toe than a Roman sandal” and the reference to Andy Gregory’s milk-bottle legs!

4. Wigan were back in World Club Challenge action later that year, and back at Central Park, for the visit of Brisbane.

The 17,000-plus crowd saw two all-in brawls as Wigan lost 22-8 to a side coached by current England boss Wayne Bennett. But the Cherry and Whites famously gained revenge two years later...

5. With a stunning 20-14 victory in Brisbane – one of Wigan’s greatest ever triumphs.

The memories start with the build-up, the loss of Dean Bell, Andy Platt and Kelvin Skerrett, the promotion of Graeme West to head coach, the stories of Wigan having no chance, the tales of players being given time off to party on the Gold Coast in the build-up.

As for the game itself, there were some towering performances – Denis Betts did well to ground his try, Gary Connolly was immense at full-back, Jason Robinson scored a fine try and Shaun Edwards produced a phenomenal effort - all soundtracked by Ray Warren’s gravelly commentary.

6. The 1997 extended series – during the Super League war which split the Australian game – went down in history as a disaster, due to the landslide results.

But for Wigan, there were some highlights, including a home and a way double against Canterbury Bulldogs (Paul Koloi and Gael Tallic were on the bench in Australia), wearing one of the worst kits in the club’s history... and a quarter-final against the now-defunct Hunter Mariners. Of course, the game with Brisbane also featured the brawl between Terry O'Connor and Gorden Tallis.

7. The World Club Challenge was mothballed after ‘97, meaning Wigan didn’t get to play Australian opposition following their inaugural Grand Final win in 1998.

Thankfully, it was soon restored to the rugby league calendar but – of course – Wigan had to wait until 2010 before they celebrated another championship win, under the leadership of Michael Maguire. The reward for that victory was a WCC date with St George Illawarra in February 2011. It was a breathtaking game played out at breakneck speed, which Wigan lost 21-15.

8. In 2014 Wigan lost 36-14 and Shaun Wane lamented the fact they didn’t give a good account of themselves, against a star-studded Roosters side boasting Sonny Bill Williams.

Joe Burgess announced himself on the big stage with a 44th minute try, adding to the double by Josh Charnley, and pinged on the Roosters’ radar.

Yet despite the result, the game is still remembered fondly by the thousands of Wiganers and ex-pats who attended the game – the first World Club Challenge on Australian soil in two decades.

9. The World Club concept was briefly expanded again into a ‘Series’, which saw Wigan twice host Brisbane.

In the first, in 2015, Burgess’ late, long-range try saw Wigan draw level after 80 minutes and sent the game into golden-point.

The sides traded blows in the mud but, with so much talent on the field, it was a soft call by the referee for a ‘strip’ which proved decisive. Even then, the drama wasn’t over.

As Corey Parker struck the penalty, Anthony Gelling charged down his attempt, and walked off the pitch before the yellow card could be brandished! Parker subsequently kicked the resulting penalty to win the game.

The following year’s contest wasn’t as close, or as gripping. Indeed, when Micky McIlorum broke his ankle, there was a sense it was going to be an awful night. Brisbane won 42-12.

10. Wigan made history two years ago when they became the first team to win the WCC four times.

Burgess’ treble and a try from his former St Edmund Arrowsmith school-mate Oliver Gildart lit up a cracking contest which the Warriors won 22-6.

Wane was at the helm as coach – arguably his greatest achievement as Wigan coach.