WIGAN head coach Matt Peet promised more nights to match their nerve-shredding World Club Challenge win over triple NRL champions Penrith at a sold-out Loire Drive.

The hosts clung on for a record-equalling fifth triumph — to emulate Super League rivals St Helens — with a 16-12 victory in a thrilling game in which the lead swung five times and Penrith came within inches of levelling on the hooter.

Peet told the BBC: “Nights like this are the ones we crave and we’re going to have plenty more.

“It was a fantastic game between two outstanding teams and you could see all the way through what a fantastic team Penrith are.

“You play Penrith on another night and they beat any team, they never give in, but tonight we wanted it a bit more.

“It was going to take a special effort to get over against us tonight, we just wanted it so much.”

Tries from Abbas Miski, Kruise Leeming and Jake Wardle ensured the hosts matched their illustrious opponents who pressed valiantly with Taylan May denied a match-levelling try on the final hooter following a video replay.

“I couldn’t be prouder of the players, I love them to bits and everyone in the organisation deserves tonight,” added Peet.

“I thought the players were very brave with the ball in the second half, they kept playing and playing and obviously with our defence, it was a game we won by never giving in.”

Penrith head coach Ivan Cleary conceded the gap between the NRL and Super League was beginning to narrow after a second-consecutive northern hemisphere triumph for the first time in 16 years.

“Absolutely,” accepted Cleary on Sky Sports. “I think that’s the thing about this particular competition, we get to see the best teams together and Wigan were too good tonight.

“I guess we didn’t execute as well as they did. They had three opportunities and scored three tries and that was the difference. They executed better than us and maybe that was enough.”