The World Club Challenge will be played on Saturday, for the first time since 2020, when Penrith Panthers take on St Helens.

Penrith are regarded as one of Australia's greatest ever teams after recording back-to-back National Rugby League (NRL) premiers.

After losing out to Melbourne Storm in 2020, they beat South Sydney Rabbitohs 14-12 to claim the 2021 title and last year saw off Parramatta Eels 28-12 in the Grand Final.

Meanwhile, St Helens have dominated the Super League in recent years, winning four consecutive titles.

Last year Saints defeated Leeds Rhinos 24-12 in the Grand Final and they will be making their eighth appearance in the World Club Challenge.

Ivan Cleary's Penrith side have never won the World Club Challenge having suffered defeats to Wigan and Bradford in the past.

Saints have won the World Club Challenge twice, beating Brisbane Broncos in 2001 and 2007, but they lost 20-12 to the Sydney Roosters when the match was last played three years ago.

What	Penrith Panthers v St Helens, World Club Challenge
Where	BlueBet Stadium, Penrith, Australia
When	07:00, Saturday 18th February, 2023
How to watch	Channel 4, Sky Sports
Odds	Penrith Panthers 1/10, St Helens 6/1

What is the World Club Challenge?

The World Club Challenge is an annual rugby league competition between the winners of the Australasian National Rugby League and the European Super League.

When is the World Club Challenge?

The match will be played on Saturday 18th February and kicks-off at 07.00 in the UK and 18.00 AEDT in Australia.

Where is the World Club Challenge?

The match is due to be played at Penrith's BlueBet Stadium.

How many times has the World Club Challenge taken place?

The first match was played in 1976 when Sydney's Eastern Suburbs beat St Helens 25-2 but it did not become a regular fixture until 1987. It had been held every year since 2000 until the COVID-19 pandemic caused the 2021 and 2022 fixtures to be cancelled.

Sydney Roosters are the holders of the trophy having beaten St Helens 20-12 in 2020 - the 28th staging of the World Club Challenge.

Where to watch the World Club Challenge on TV?

In a first for fans in the UK, the World Club Challenge will be shown live on free-to-air TV on Channel 4 with regular broadcaster Sky Sports also televising the match.

Who has won the World Club Challenge on the most occasions?

Sydney Roosters have won the World Club Challenge five times - in 1976, 2003, 2014, 2019 and 2020. They have never been runners-up. Wigan Warriors are the most successful European side having won the World Club Challenge on four occasions, most recently in 2017.

Leeds Rhinos, Melbourne Storm and Bradford Bulls have won the World Club Challenge three times while St Helens, as well as Brisbane Broncos, have triumphed twice.

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles, Widnes Vikings, St George Illawarra Dragons, South Sydney Rabbitohs and North Queensland Cowboys have all won the World Club Challenge once.

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A team from the NRL has won the World Club Challenge 14 times while a Super League side has triumphed on 13 occasions.

However, the NRL champions have won eight of the last 10 games against the Super League champions.

Who are the favourites for World Club Challenge?

Penrith are the overwhelming favourites to win the World Club Challenge.

The Australian side are 1/10 To Win and 91/100 To Win the Game Betting 2-Way With An 18.5 Handicap.

The match will be former player Richie Wellens' first as coach of St Helens and he faces a mammoth task as he attempts to guide his side to a shock victory.

Penrith are 4/7 To Win Both Halves and 4/11 To Score The First Try.

St Helens are already in Australia and warmed up for the game with a comfortable 30-18 victory over St George Illawarra Dragons in Wollongong.

Tries from Lewis Dodd, Jack Welsby, Tommy Makinson, Joey Lussick and Tee Ritson secured a morale-boosting win for the Super League champions ahead of their showdown with the Panthers.

Meanwhile, Penrith can be backed at 11/4 to be the NRL Grand Final Winners in 2023 and make it three victories in a row. St Helens are available at 2/1 to be Super League XXVIII Grand Final winners once again this year, while Wigan Warriors can be backed at 3/1 and Leeds Rhinos at 13/2.