(Reuters) - The South Sydney Rabbitohs thrashed Super League champions St Helens by a record margin of 39-0 as the NRL champions won the World Club Challenge crown at a packed Langtree Park on Sunday.
The Rabbitohs, cheered on by a sell-out crowd of 17,980 including their owner, actor Russell Crowe, ran in seven tries to give the Australian teams a 3-0 World Club Series whitewash.
The St George lllawara Dragons and Brisbane Broncos had beaten Warrington and Wigan respectively on Friday and Saturday to set up the clean sweep for the tourists.
The Rabbitohs lifted their first world trophy to become the sixth NRL winners of the World Club Challenge in the last seven years which shows the gap that remains between the leagues.
St Helens were 24-0 adrift at halftime and their defeat meant a third big loss for the Saints, who went down 44-6 to Melbourne in 2000 and 38-0 to the Sydney Roosters in 2003.
South Sydney were 6-0 in front after less than two minutes when a grubber kick from Adam Reynolds -- who kicked five goals from seven attempts -- was touched down by Glenn Stewart.
Australia centre Dylan Walker finished off a break by Reynolds, full back Greg Inglis got the third try and winger Joel Reddy touched down John Sutton's kick on the half-hour mark.
Souths stand-off Luke Keary scored a fifth six minutes after the break and there were also tries for substitute Chris McQueen and Reddy before Reynolds wrapped up the win with a drop goal.
It was a record World Club Challenge winning margin, beating the 38 points of Melbourne Storm and the Roosters, leaving Crowe to celebrate and justify his decision to miss the Oscars.