Remarkably, Leeds Rhinos' Grand Final victory over St Helens last Saturday was their third in five seasons, doubling the total number of championships won by the club in its 113-year history.

The long wait, which began in 1972 and ended when Danny McGuire swept over for the winning try against Bradford Bulls at Old Trafford in 2004, now seems an age ago – but it is a lesson that nothing should ever be taken for granted.

When skipper Alan Hardisty lifted the old championship trophy for what proved to be the final time, after St Helens had been defeated at Station Road, Swinton, 36 years ago, nobody could have known that Leeds were entering what would be such a long, barren period.

The celebrations after last Saturday evening's triumph were long and loud and so they should be because there's no telling when the chance will come again.

but all that said – and putting the euphoria of last weekend to one side – Rhinos now really could be in the early stages of a period of sustained success.

Leeds and Saints, who finished a point above them in the league table, were the outstanding teams this year, by some distance. Third-placed Les Catalans Dragons finished eight points adrift of Leeds and, though there were a few palpitations after Rhinos were crushed in the qualifying semi-final at Knowsley Road, the Grand Final always seemed destined to be a repeat of the 2007 showpiece.

Though Saints have been at the top of the British game for the last decade, the salary cap makes it tougher for teams to dominate in the way Wigan did in the late 1980s and early 1990s – that, for example, is why Nick Scruton will be a Bradford Bulls player next year rather than wearing blue and amber of Leeds.

Change isn't always a good thing. It's significant that neither Leeds nor Saints brought in any new faces for the 2008 season, the only two clubs to self-impose a recruitment freeze. Both clubs have developed a strong team spirit and that was crucial in getting them through some tough times.

It's not ideal to have the same two teams deciding the major trophy every year, but the challenge is for the likes of Bradford Bulls, Wigan Warriors, Warrington Wolves and Hull to narrow the gap.

Maybe 2009 will be the year Warrington finally get some reward for their big spending, but there's little indication at this stage that Rhinos and Saints won't be the top two again in 12 months' time.

A few question marks hang over Saints, who will have a new coach – Mick Potter is moving from this year's third-placed club – and who are losing several first-team squad players, but Leeds certainly aren't going to become a poorer team over the next few months.

Former Australia Test captain Danny Buderus – one of the best players in the world – will be joining them next year and, though he's currently recovering from a serious injury, he will make a big impact in Super League.

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SO that was the 2008 domestic season and all that remains now is the small matter of the World Cup, which England have about as much chance of winning as Leeds did of beating St Helens at Old Trafford last week.

Once again, it will be a case of hope rather than expectation, but just five minutes in the company of coach Tony Smith, pictured left, would be enough to convince even the most pessimistic fan that England will give it their best shot.

There were few surprises in Smith's 24-man squad, though Bradford Bulls forward Jamie Langley wasn't a name on many pundits' lists before Tuesday's announcement and the decision to leave Stuart Fielden behind is a brave one.

Taking one specialist scrum-half will be a concern and Smith will have real problems if Rob Burrow gets injured.

Matt Diskin is unlucky not to be going as both hookers – James Roby and Mickey Higham – function best as impact players off the bench, but Smith has clearly opted to a large extent for players able to cover more than one role in the competition. Overall, it is a well-balanced, young squad boasting – as Smith has pointed out – plenty of pace and size.

It might be an outside one, but they do have a chance and after last week the Rhinos contingent in the squad, at least, will believe that anything's possible.