Less than two weeks later, the premiers traveled to Wigan, England, to face the reigning English champions, Wigan in the 1987 World Club Challenge. In only the second such World Club Challenge match since the Eastern Suburbs Roosters mid-season win against St. Helens at the SCG in 1976, Manly lost the match 8–2. The game was played at Wigan's home ground, the famous Central Park in front of 36,895 fans, though it was rumoured that the actual attendance was closer to 50,000. Manly second rower "Rambo" Ronny Gibbs, in his last game for the club before moving to the new Gold Coast Seagulls in 1989, became the first player sent off in a World Club Challenge after a high tackle on Wigan's international centre Joe Lydon.