PARIS ST GERMAIN 30 SHEFFIELD EAGLES 24: MARCH 29 1996, CHARLETY STADIUM

After two-and-a-half years of planning, amid huge controversy and upheaval, the European Super League finally came into being in Paris in the spring of 1996.

The advent of Super League and, with it, the switch to summer rugby, was billed as the most momentous occasion since the breakaway of 1895 and it did not disappoint.

A wildly-enthusiastic crowd of 17,873 lapped up the razzmatazz that was to become a regular feature of the new game and the opening fixture had a fairytale result, with Paris claiming a landmark victory.

French winger Freddie Banquet made history by scoring the first-ever Super League try after only 10 minutes and Arnaud Cervello touched down twice in a 30-24 win.

"Some reporters came for a funeral and had to write about a party," beamed Maurice Lindsay, whose brainchild had finally borne fruit.

Unfortunately, the French venture lasted only three years, with Parisians losing interest in a side that was, in the end, comprised largely of Australian journeymen.

ST HELENS 16 BRADFORD 11: SEPTEMBER 22 2000, KNOWSLEY ROAD

St Helens have made a habit of pulling matches out of the fire but they brought a new meaning to the phrase cliff-hanger with their last-ditch win over Bradford in the first round of the play-offs in 2000.

The Bulls were clinging to an 11-10 lead as the seconds began to tick away but Saints demonstrated their never-say-die qualities with arguably the most exciting try in the history of Super League.

They kept the ball alive deep inside their own half after the hooter had sounded, with Sean Long amazingly kicking the ball crossfield to centre Kevin Iro.

Threequarter Dwayne West then surged downfield, beating two despairing Bradford defenders, and skipper Chris Joynt was in support to finish off the daring move in joyous fashion.

While Saints fans celebrated, Sky television cameras captured the dramatic scenes of Bradford coach Matthew Elliott collapsing to the ground and disappearing from view in the main stand.

Saints went on to win the Grand Final while, a fortnight later, Elliott brought to an end the longest-serving reign of a Super League coach, eventually handing over the reins to Brian Noble.

ST HELENS 19 BRADFORD 18: OCTOBER 19 2002, OLD TRAFFORD

For sheer drama and controversy, the final moments of the 2002 Grand Final will live long in the memory.

Only points difference separated Bradford and St Helens at the end of the regular season and the Old Trafford decider also went right down to the wire.

Despite mistakenly having a try from Paul Deacon disallowed by the video referee, the Bulls led 18-12 early in the second half.

But Saints pulled back a try through Martin Gleeson and Sean Long added a penalty in the 64th minute to level the scores and set up a heart-stopping finish.

Deacon (twice), Long and Paul Sculthorpe all failed with drop-goal attempts before Long finally broke the deadlock with the all-important one-pointer with just seconds left on the clock.

But the drama was far from over as Long dashed back into his position for the re-start, urging his team-mates not to relax.

Captain Chris Joynt found himself in possession at dummy half with the hooter about to sound and, as he dived to the ground at the feet of two Bradford tacklers, referee Russell Smith ignored the Bulls players' screams to award a penalty for a voluntary tackle and Saints held on for a pulsating victory.

LEEDS 22 WIGAN 23: OCTOBER 10 2003, HEADINGLEY

In the most captivating of four magnificent matches between these great Roses rivals in 2003, a drop-goal from Danny Tickle three minutes from the end of a pulsating clash eased Wigan into a fifth Grand Final.

The 17,264 Headingley crowd were preparing for a first-ever period of extra-time until Tickle's dramatic one-pointer settled a classic final eliminator in which Leeds played their part.Two spectacular long-range tries from former Great Britain winger Brian Carney set the platform for a tremendous win by the Warriors, who became the first team from outside the top two to reach the Grand Final.

Wigan came from 14-4 behind to make it eight wins in a row under the late Mike Gregory and earn a place at Old Trafford but their play-off efforts took a heavy toll and a week later they were well beaten by Bradford.

CATALANS DRAGONS 38 WIGAN 30: FEBRUARY 11 2006, STADE AIME GIRAL

They might have ended their inaugural season with the wooden spoon but French outfit Catalans Dragons could not have made a better start than with a fairytale victory over glamour club Wigan in front of a bumper crowd of 11,122 in Perpignan.

The Catalans went into the season without a coach following the shock sacking of Steve Deakin two months earlier but, inspired by captain Stacey Jones, they rattled a Warriors side that were expected to challenge for honours under Ian Millward.

Wigan edged 30-26 in front following a try from debutant winger Pat Richards 10 minutes from the end but the Dragons came from behind for a third time to snatch victory and emulate the feat of Paris St Germain, who had kicked off Super League 10 years earlier with an opening-day win over Sheffield Eagles.

Two tries in the last five minutes through Australian forward Ian Hindmarsh and France hooker Julien Rinaldi saw the lead change hands for a sixth time and the Dragons left the field to a standing ovation.

"It was fantastic to be part of history," said Jones.

"It is something I'll remember for the rest of my life."

BRADFORD 30 WIGAN 31: SEPTEMBER 21 2007, ODSAL

The play-offs got off to a truly amazing start when Wigan staged the greatest escape of all time to threaten the impossible.

The Warriors had only secured the sixth and final play-off spot thanks to a thrilling win over St Helens in the final round of the regular season but their season was surely over when they trailed 30-6 after 55 minutes.

No team had turned around more than a 21-point deficit in the history of Super League and when Mark Calderwood went over for his first try it looked like mere consolation.

But he went on to complete a memorable second-half hat-trick and Pat Richards edged the visitors in front for the first time four minutes from the end with the first drop-goal of his career.

The Warriors followed up their breath-taking win with victory at Hull in the semi-finals but their gallant bid to reach the Grand Final from sixth spot came unstuck at eventual champions Leeds.

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