The World Club Challenge is set to stay in England following the success of Sunday night's showdown between Wigan and St George Illawarra, according to Rugby Football League chairman Richard Lewis.

England hosted each of the past 12 meetings between the champions of Super League and Australia's NRL since the concept was revived in 2000, and that is the way it is likely to stay for the foreseeable future despite calls for it to be expanded and taken overseas.

A near-capacity crowd of 24,268 watched the Dragons complete a hat-trick of victories for NRL clubs with a 21-15 win over the Warriors in an entertaining and full-blooded clash at the DW Stadium.

Hollywood actor Russell Crowe, who organised a challenge match in Florida three years ago between his own South Sydney club and Leeds Rhinos, recently proposed taking an eight-team competition to the United States and suggested Las Vegas as a potential venue.

Leigh's Australian coach Ian Millward, who guided St Helens to victory over Brisbane Broncos in the 2001 World Club Challenge, has also called for an expansion of the competition to include four teams from each country but would like to see it taken to Dubai.

Hong Kong and Abu Dhabi have been other suggested venues but Lewis, who is vice-chairman of the International Federation, played down the likelihood of such a move.

"I don't think there's any momentum behind the idea," said Lewis, who believes the current concept works best for both competitions.

"I thought it was a great night. I thought it was a great advert for the match. It meant a lot to both sides."

Wigan chairman Ian Lenagan, who spoke in favour of Crowe's bold plan earlier this year, believes the event ought to be held on a bigger stage.

"I think last night showed what a great occasion it is and I think it deserves to be on a bigger stage, whatever that is.

"That's not for me to decide or propose but the RFL and the NRL were both well represented here last night."

Millward, whose father Bob is a member of the NRL board and a director of St George Illawarra, has accused Australian clubs of not taking the World Club Challenge seriously enough and, if there is not to be a neutral venue, would like to see the match alternating between the two countries.

It is 17 years since Brisbane hosted the game and there is little appetite for it returning Down Under in the foreseeable future, according to Lewis.

"We agreed with the NRL a few years ago that we would have the next few years here and I think the NRL's position is that, unless there is a club in Australia which really thinks they can hold it and make a success of it, then they believe it works better over here," he said.

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