Leeds (4) 10
Tries: McGuire Goals: Sinfield, Burrow (2)

Melbourne (4) 18
Tries: MacDougall, Quinn Goals: Smith (5)

Todd Lowrie, Jesse Bromwich and Billy Slater tackle Jamie Peacock

Melbourne Storm saw off Leeds Rhinos in a bruising game at Elland Road to be crowned world club champions.

Kevin Sinfield and Rob Burrow notched penalties for Leeds, with Cameron Smith scoring two for Melbourne in a closely-fought try-free first half.

Kallum Watkins wasted a great chance before Danny McGuire's length-of-the-field solo try put Leeds in front.

Luke MacDougall replied for Melbourne and Smith kicked them in front, with Anthony Quinn's late try sealing it.

The Rhinos were contesting their third successive clash between the champions of Super League and Australia's NRL, having beaten the Storm in 2008 and lost to Manly 12 months ago.

606: DEBATE Well done, Storm. Long flight, unfamiliar conditions, and the fourth team in the NRL can still win Diogenes

And undaunted by horrendous playing conditions, they almost enjoyed a dream start as they regained possession from the kick-off and went straight on the attack.

The first set of six looked as if it had even produced the first score of the game as Brent Webb went over the line, but fine defending by MacDougall prevented him touching down.

The Rhinos kept the pressure on as Ian Kirke charged down a Brett Finch clearance, and when they earned a penalty within kickable range, Sinfield opened the scoring.

Smith replied for the visitors but Leeds went straight back on the offensive, and Watkins looked odds-on to claim the opening try until a television replay showed he lost control of the ball as he crossed the line.

After taking an early battering, gradually Melbourne began to impose themselves on the game, forcing the Rhinos into two goal-line drop-outs, but they let Leeds off the hook when Adam Blair dropped the ball five yards from the line.

Sinfield did his best to run off a leg injury after being injured in a tackle but was forced out of the game, with Burrow taking over captaincy and kicking duties.

Try-scoring chances were thin on the ground in the first half, and Ryan Hinchcliffe was denied one in the 39th minute after Billy Slater was adjudged to have knocked on.

When the first try came, it was in controversial fashion.

Melbourne were yards from the Leeds line when a kick-through struck the leg of Brett Delaney, and McGuire was quickest to react, scooping up the ball to run the length of the field and touch down.

The video referee eventually deciding McGuire had been on-side and the try was good, but two minutes later McDougall went over in the right-hand corner to level the scores.

Keith Senior was penalised for dissent, allowing Smith to kick Melbourne into a narrow lead, which set up a tense finale.

Watkins again looked like he had managed a vital score for Leeds, but was ruled to have lost control of the ball as he touched it down.

With time running out, Quinn went over in the left-hand corner to leave the Rhinos with no way back, and earning Melbourne the distinction of becoming the first Australian team to win the competition twice, having beaten St Helens in 2000.

Leeds: Webb, Watkins, Delaney, Senior, Hall, McGuire, Burrow, Leuluai, Diskin, Peacock, Jones-Buchanan, Kirke, Sinfield.

Replacements: Bailey for Leuluai (18), Buderus for Diskin (28), Lauitiiti for Peacock (29), Eastwood for Jones-Buchanan (23).

Melbourne: Slater, MacDougall, Nielsen, Inglis, Quinn, Finch, Smith, Tolman, Hinchcliffe, Lima, Blair, Hoffman, Lowrie.

Replacements: Bromwich for Tolman (23), Kostjasyn for Hinchcliffe (53), Proctor for Lima (16), Cahill for Lowrie (30).

Att: 27,697

Ref: R Silverwood (Dewsbury)

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