Rugby: Warrington wiped out

Cronulla 44 Warrington

Warrington failed to score a point as they slumped to a heavy defeat against Cronulla Sharks in the World Club Championship yesterday, as the home side's half-back, Paul Green, scored two of the eight tries and created several others, as well as kicking six goals.

The pattern was set when Warrington gave away two early penalties for stealing the ball. Green opted to take a quick tap instead of a shot at goal, allowing Russell Richardson to race over wide out. The Sharks extended their lead to 10-0 five minutes later when an Adam Dykes up-and-under saw Andrew Ettingshausen, their captain, outjump the opposition to score in the corner, with Green adding a touchline conversion.

Green was in the thick of the action once again in the 29th minute when he threw an inside pass for Craig Greenhill to off-load to full-back Ben Sammut, who beat the desperate tackles of Lee Penny and Andrew Duncan to score under the posts. Green added the extras to give Cronulla a 16-0 half-time lead.

The Wolves defended well in the opening half but lacked any direction in attack. They threatened to score only once before the interval, when Mark Forster made a 50-metre break which ended with Jon Roper bundled into touch only two metres from the Sharks' try-line.

Green put the game beyond doubt with a two-try effort in the opening six minutes of the second half. The first came when he scooted under the posts despite the attention of four Warrington defenders, while for the second Green managed to dive on a kick just inches from the dead-ball line. He converted both to stretch the lead to 28-0.

Chris McKenna went through a feeble defence in the 48th minute and Richardson added his second try six minutes later with a 40-metre sprint down the touchline. Green converted to give the Sharks a 40-0 lead. Then, in the 59th minute, he kicked ahead once again for Ettingshausen to outsprint everyone before diving on the ball.

With the score at 44-0, the Sharks took their foot off the accelerator in the final 20 minutes.