South Sydney have emphatically claimed the status of rugby league world club champions with a record-breaking 39-0 thrashing of Super League title holders St Helens.
Souths win 2015 World Club Challenge over St Helens. Photo: PHOTOSPORT
The one-sided World Club Challenge win, which was all but over when the Rabbitohs held a 24-0 lead after a first half onslaught, also handed the NRL sides a cleansweep of the inaugural World Club Series.
On hand to watch the blitz at Langtree Park was Clive Churchill medal winner Sam Burgess and co-owner Russell Crowe, who shunned the glitz and glamour of the Oscars red carpet for a two-degree night in the north of England.
A late Adam Reynolds field goal ensured the utter mauling eclipsed the 38-point WCC wins by the Sydney Roosters in 2003 and Melbourne Storm in 2000 - both of which were also against St Helens.
The Rabbitohs scored early and often, rarely letting up between their opening try in the third minute and their seventh in the 67th.
The first two games of the series were closely contested as St George Illawarra edged out Warrington on Saturday, while Brisbane Broncos needed a golden-point extra-time penalty from Corey Parker to overcome Wigan.