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Great Britain or England have not beaten Australia in a rugby league Test series since the year before South Sydney’s 1971 premiership.
The green and golds – they were only “Kangaroos” when they toured Europe back then – won the first Test 37- 15 at Lang Park before being defeated 28-7 and 21-17 at the SCG, handing Britain the Ashes.
We can all wax lyrical about how disorganised and chaotic international rugby league at the top level is today – but a look at the crowds for that series should remind us that nothings succeeds like success, or more accurately nothing competes (with other sports) like competitiveness.
The first Test drew 40,807, the second 60,962 and the third 61,258.
With the number of withdrawals from the Australian team for the upcoming Four Nations in Australia and New Zealand, could England coach Steve McNamara be about to outdo Souths’ Michael Maguire when it comes to hoodoo-interment?
On the surface, a weak Australian side is not bad for rugby league. Quite the opposite. We live in an age when an Australian loss is always good for rugby league.
For years when that was the case, it was still an outrageous thing to say. Now, I’m sure you didn’t even raise an eyebrow reading it.
Even the Australian players, coaches and staff probably realise they’d be facing bigger crowds, more media and public interest, and earning more money if they were beaten more often.
It would probably be better for the future of rugby league journalism if I wrote a series of columns on The Roar that were so bad I was dismissed, giving an opportunity to a young up-and-comer in need of encouragement.
Personal pride is what prevents me doing that – and the same applies to the short-handed Australians in the Four Nations.
To put into perspective what an England win would do for our game: Super League was completely ignored in the Australian media this year, until Ben Flower punches a prostrate Lance Hohaia at Old Trafford. Look at the hyperbole in Sydney and Brisbane today, multiply it by five, and then make it positive.
That’s what an England Four Nations win would do for rugby league in the most wealthy, populous country in which a professional competition is played.
Super League isn’t just ignored by the Australian media. It’s ignored by the British media. This year’s Man of Steel, Daryl Clark, could walk around London for a week without getting recognised. A win in the Four Nations would change all that.
When Ricky Stuart made that break in 1990 to save the Ashes, Britain and England were unsuccessful in all international sports. Not making that break could have lifted rugby league to near the top of the tree back then. Australian may have spent the last 24 years trying to catch up with a cashed-up, high profile juggernaut instead of the opposite being the case.
There is a downside for the international game to Australia’s current unavailabilities. Look at the Prime Minister’s XIII which travelled to Kokopo yesterday: Daniel Tupou, Josh Papalii, Sione Matautia, Dylan Napa – all men eligible for other countries.
In the absence of so many stars, Australia is unintentionally weakening its rivals by sweeping up their players as replacements. The PM’s XIII is having the same effect as the England Knights, who routinely weaken Wales, Scotland and Ireland.
We are talking about the big three here: Australia, New Zealand and England. The others are fodder for another column. But each of the tier one nations needs to exercise restraint in their programmes when it comes to development squads, so as not to weaken rivals who could one day challenge them, in turn elevating the game as a whole.
South Sydney is one club. It was hunted out of the game. It came back, rebuilt stoically, and won a premiership.
But the entire sport in its birthplace has been downtrodden for one year longer – hundreds of thousands of players, volunteers, officials and fans for an entire generation.
The final of the Four Nations is in Wellington on November 15. It may rending the NRL grand final the second most significant, historic, tumultuous, emotional game you see this year.
Steve invites you to follow the tournament here on Twitter @Four_Nations and here on Facebook.