By Elizabeth Hudson BBC Sport at the Reebok Stadium

Wellens also won the competition with Saints back in 2001

St Helens full-back Paul Wellens believes the World Club Challenge victory over the Brisbane Broncos has put the club's mini-crisis behind them.

Saints went in to the game under pressure after back-to-back defeats in Super League, but put in an outstanding display to defeat the Broncos 18-14.

"We were always confident of being able to put in a big performance against the Broncos," Wellens told BBC Sport.

"It's a clich� but you don't become a bad team overnight."

Wellens added: "People might say we've had this game in the back of our minds over the past couple of weeks in the Super League but that wasn't the case.

"We performed poorly two weeks in a row and we are our own harshest critics.

"We sat down this week and talked about this game and our performance tonight has given our supporters something to cheer about."

Wellens was a solid presence at full-back for Saints, who welcomed back Paul Sculthorpe after six months out with a knee problem.

He also pinpointed Ade Gardner's score late in the opening half as being one of the turning points of the game.

To be world club champions for the second time is special St Helens full-back Paul Wellens

"Getting the score before half-time was absolutely crucial. If we had gone in at the break 8-0 down it would have been a difficult deficit to come back from.

"Going in only two points down gave us a real chance of winning the game and we were able to put in the performance to allow us to do that.

"To be world club champions for the second time is special - especially for me as a Saints lad."

But with Saints struggling in the Super League, Wellens knows that they must improve, starting with Bradford next Friday.

"We don't get much of a chance to enjoy the win," he said.