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In sports, authenticity is everything.
If you want to be a part of something special next Saturday for a fraction of what it costs to savour a similar high, I suggest a trek out to Campbelltown Stadium for the Pacific Test.
Because it will be ridgey didge, the Real McCoy, the genuine article, history in the making.
I’m increasingly convinced the Pacific Test has the opportunity to become the State of Origin of our time.
This year it’s three internationals back-to-back, the bulk of adult tickets just $25, cultural pride on display and a bona fide preview of the upcoming World Cup.
In this day of professionalism, of highest-bidder-wins, carefully scripted responses and cool indifference, the Pacific Test is an actual event that means something to the combatants that take the field.
It goes beyond a pay packet and diplomatic facades.
Fans have a natural appetite for authentic emotion. It’s what chills our spine and lights our eyes.
Like that first Origin game in 1980, there’s real feeling attached to the jersey the chosen players will slide over their broad shoulders on May 6.
An argument could be made it’s even more outwardly shown by modern day warriors, who have bloodlines etched in names, patterns, maps and crests across their own skin.
And, as has been the life source of Origin since the outset, there will be a heavy focus on settling scores and righting perceived injustices.
First up will be Papua New Guinea versus Cook Islands, followed by Fiji versus Tonga, before the event culminates in Samoa versus England.
All participating nations are ranked within the top 25 by the Rugby League International Federation.
However there’s certainly a case to be made that at least four of the sides deserve higher billing – a billing they will only obtain with more opportunities like the Pacific Test.
Fiji is ranked seventh in the world. Not bad at all for country of less than a million people, but certainly not reflective of a side that has been semi-finalist at the last two World Cups.
Tonga is ranked 14th and Papua New Guinea ranked 15th, but I know who I’d back if either side played the USA (10th), Serbia (11th) or Canada (12th).
More than anyone, the Cook Islands (25th) have a case to feel aggrieved, omitted from this year’s World Cup by an altered qualification process that instead favoured Lebanon.
Participants at the 2013 World Cup when they had Jordan Rapana and Dylan Napa in their squad, the Kukis were given a one-off game against Tonga in 2015 to qualify for this year’s tournament.
The equation was simple: win and you’re in, or lose and you’re out. No pool games, no second chances. They lost 28-8.
Therefore they’ll be watching from the sidelines in November when the leading 14 countries in the world battle it out, and according to the RLIF table they are now considered even lower than Belgium (18th), Spain (19th) Germany (23rd) and the Czech Republic (24th).
Vagaries of the rankings system mostly have to do with the frequency of games. Whatever the case may be, France can count itself incredibly lucky to still be considered sixth in the world after close to 50 years of disappointment.
But I digress. Let’s get back to the Pacific Test.
Thirty years ago there was roughly two per cent of the NSWRL with Pacific Islander heritage. These days the correlating figure in the NRL is hovering around 40 per cent and rising.
There’s a few key things you can glean from that.
One is that the best players are not all eligible for Origin. Or if they have mixed allegiances, it’s reasonable to say they don’t necessarily identify as being a Cane Toad or Cockroach first and foremost.
A more positive angle is that rugby league has become more central to the way different nationalities express and perceive themselves.
Most of the participating Pacific nations next Saturday are ranked higher in rugby league than they are in union.
There’s a sense of communal identity that has become entwined with how each country’s sons perform on the park.
It’s why crowds for the Pacific Test have risen by 50 per cent from 2013 to 2016 and those without even an ounce of Pacific blood in their veins rave about the electric atmosphere.
Remember that the early days of Origin were often far from sell-outs.
But it built and it built – all off the back of authenticity.
Rugby league’s favourite thespian Russell Crowe would describe the Pacific Test as being in the ‘zeitgeist’. Ardent Melbourne Storm fan Molly Meldrum would implore you to “do yourself a favour” and check it out.
As a lover of sport and lover of a bargain, you’d be crazy not to get among it.
Pacific Test squads
Sam Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Dewsbury Moor)
Thomas Burgess (South Sydney Rabbitohs, Dewsbury Moor)
Luke Gale (Castleford Tigers)
James Graham (Canterbury Bulldogs)
Ryan Hall (Leeds Rhinos)
Zak Hardaker (Castleford Tigers)
Chris Heighington (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks)
Chris Hill (Warrington Wolves)
Josh Hodgson (Canberra Raiders)
Jermaine McGillvary (Huddersfield Giants)
Mike McMeeken (Castleford Tigers)
Chris McQueen (Gold Coast Titans)
Sean O’Loughlin (C) (Wigan Warriors)
Mark Percival (St Helens)
Scott Taylor (Hull FC)
Alex Walmsley (St Helens)
Kallum Watkins (Leeds Rhinos)
Elliott Whitehead (Canberra Raiders)
Gareth Widdop (St George Illawarra Dragons)
George Williams (Wigan Warriors)
Samoa
Leeson Ah Mau (St George Illawarra Dragons)
John Asiata (North Queensland Cowboys)
Fa’amanu Brown (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks)
Herman Ese’ese (Brisbane Broncos)
Sam Kasiano (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Tim Lafai (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Joseph Leilua (Canberra Raiders)
Isaac Liu (Sydney Roosters)
Josh McGuire(Brisbane Broncos)
Peter Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights)
Sione Mata’utia (Newcastle Knights)
Suaia Matagi (Parramatta Eels)
Anthony Milford (Brisbane Broncos)
David Nofoaluma (Wests Tigers)
Kaysa Pritchard (Parramatta Eels)
Sauaso Sue (Wests Tigers)
Antonio Winterstein (North Queensland Cowboys)
Tonga
Will Hopoate (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Daniel Tupou (Sydney Roosters)
Brenko Lee (Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs)
Michael Jennings (Parramatta Eels)
Jorge Taufua (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Tuimoala Lolohea (New Zealand Warriors)
Ata Hingano (New Zealand Warriors)
Andrew Fifita (Cronulla Sutherland Sharks)
Siliva Havili (St George Illawarra Dragons)
Leilani Latu (Penrith Panthers)
Sika Manu (c) (Hull FC)
Felise Kaufusi (Melbourne Storm)
Sio Siua Taukeiaho (Sydney Roosters)
Sione Katoa (Penrith Panthers)
Joe Ofahengaue (Brisbane Broncos)
Siosaia Vave (Parramatta Eels)
Addin Fonua-Blake (Manly Warringah Sea Eagles)
Samisoni Langi (Penrith Panthers)
Patrick Kaufusi (North Queensland Cowboys)
Leivaha Pulu (Gold Coast Titans)
Sione Vea (Tongan Rugby League)
Cook Islands, Fiji and Papua New Guinea to be confirmed
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