John C. Dillinger, chairman of the children’s charity Sick Kiddies announced that this week would officially be known as Rugby League World Cup Awareness Week. To celebrate the occasion, Dillinger donated $5 million of their funds to help promote the early detection and acknowledgment of rugby league World Cup related activities.
“99 percent of people out there just have no way of knowing what to look for when trying to identify a rugby league World Cup,” he said. “We’ve got people in countries all across the world crying out for someone to show them what a rugby league World Cup looks like. Who plays in it? What are the rules? These are the sorts of questions we hear all the time.”
The Rugby League World Cup Awareness Campaign faces some unique challenges, according to Dillinger.
Unlike most educational campaigns where the areas with the lowest levels of awareness are third world countries, the rugby league World Cup’s biggest challenge is raising its profile in big cities.
“We don’t need to preach to the converted,” said Mr Dillinger. “The third-world areas have received the message loud and clear. PNG, for example, are all over it and some of those blokes don’t even wear shoes, let alone own televisions or mobile phones. Likewise, you could walk down any street in Hull, Ipswich or South Auckland and people will say ‘yeah, we’ve heard about it’.”
“The hard part seems to be selling the game to people who own their own televisions and can see the game for themselves,” he added.
“We need these people to know that there’s a World Cup going on and that they can be involved. Some of them might even be living in countries that are already involved, who knows?”
According to a report issued by Switzerland’s top rugby league World Cup identification agency, most people are at low to negligible risk of exposure to rugby league World Cup coverage, even if they live in countries playing at the event.
Expected early warning signs of a rugby league World Cup, like regular games between more than a handful of nations, are often absent and outbreaks of rugby league World Cups have not been known to occur at regular intervals.
Rugby league World Cup organisers have been quick to applaud Mr Dillinger’s efforts. Glen Quagmire, the chairman of the Irish Rugby League Appreciation Society, hailed Dillinger as a “god-send” but stressed that the road ahead was a long one.
“We do need more new countries becoming aware of rugby league, but we can’t expect miracles. Getting a team up to international standard is a very, very tough task, diddly.”
“First we have to scour the NRL and Super League for players whose grandmother might have been born in one of these new countries or who has a name that sounds a bit different. Then, when we’ve got thirteen of these blokes, we have to design a jersey that best reflects our understanding of what that country is about,” he said, amidst a flurry of pelvic thrusts.
“You’ve got to remember that in the world of rugby league, international competition is right up there behind State of Origin, the NRL, Super League and the possibles/probables trial for the Parkes Spacemen.”
oikee
Guest
Who would have thought that a team from Fiji could make a semi with only 500 senior players to pick from, and a team from PNG could go toe to toe with the big guns,. not to mention a team from Ireland with some Irish players according to reports could in deed knock off Samoa. Also a team with only really one club to choose from (france) is tenth on the world stage. What you have not pointed out is the game is really only at the beginning of its journey, the Brittish press are only recently been alllowed to stop bagging the sport and France has only accepted the game come the last 10 years, if that. Australia as you know is not the problem, its the rest of the world that needs to catch up. League has had a good start for its 13th showing and the money that has been made will hopefully be put to good use. The 13th world cup has lots of flaws but you and i know it will all be history in the next 100 years, by then will they be looking back and thinking , "what were they thinking". We all have to start somewhere. Westy, did you not go to school, you know the place where the bigger kids picked on the little kids. :) We all learn lessons in life, some of us grow up when others never really knew how to grow up. At least we have learnt something from this post. The Captain of the Wallabies, does anyone think he looks like yoda. ? Better still maybe a joke, whats the difference between Yoda and Mortlock, ? Yoda's smart.
sledgeross
Guest
Well done boys, balanced and fair debate for an article that started off funny, but degenerated into irelevance.
The Link
Guest
TT and especially Westy, some sanity at last, well posted. The views on this site are symptomatic of the Australian Rugby community, even at the highest level. Witness John Connolly's column this morning. As a fan of both codes, the Mungoes don't bite in this stuff cause they know who they are and what they have There's no reason why League can't have a WC, its not pretending to be anything its not. My view is Australia and New Zealand consistently produce the best rugby footballers in the world, in Australia generally the best are in League and in New Zealand the best are in Rugby. This reflects either countries general dominance in either code.
Lanky
Guest
TT - Agree re Zim, could have been a powerhouse, Rugby is very popular there but societal issues screwed up any chance. Scotland almost beat the Boks, think you are being a tad harsh.
westy
Guest
Well done True Tah so have I . Would not have asked otherwise. and The Wallabies won. The scrum more than held.
True Tah
Guest
Westy, Poms played awfully tonight against the Kiwis, at least they faced the haka. Am making a contribution to the Prairiewood School rugby fund - agree these are the sort of kids we want in the game, and I agree that its teams like this that will ensure the future of the game in Sydney. Think you're being a bit harsh on Qld rugby, they are actually making some progress in trying to get the game played throughout Qld, particularly in rural areas. Scotland IMO is gone as a top level rugby nation, that Zimbo that plays for them, reckon he should have stayed back there - gosh imagine if they had Mujati, Mtawirra, Pocock, Chavhanga, Ngwenye and this bloke had stayed there, they would be the strongest African side outside the Springboks. These articles are generally rubbish, Im sick to death of people putting shit on the RLWC, saying that it should not be allowed to be called a World Cup, that its meaningless...I bet these people wouldn't front up to the Tongan/Samoan/Fijian sides and say that to them...its easy to be a big man over the internet!!!
westy
Guest
Craig...late at night waiting in anticipation for the Wallabies game ..probably on overkill...wil not visit this topic again but because I do follow rugby I do know for instance that Scottish Rugby with only 10000 adult players is hard pressed to field a purely Scottish born side with 7 English born , 2 Australian born ,one NZer and a Zimbabwean in their squad.under grandparent or residency rules This does not bother me but it would be gross ignorance not to acknowlege . That rugby is so far in front of league internationally is a no brainer...there is no comparison but care taken in pushing certain themes too far .....most countries in Great Britain are still hard pressed. Do not look to closely at Wales a few English boys there to....It is England that is dominant in player numbers not the other nations.Smugness bothers me.
westy
Guest
Craig....One article was funny.....two repetitive ...third ..I got the message I already knew and by the time I read the fourth on exactly the same thing I felt moved to defend RLWC with an article.. No one in their right mind would compare RLWC to Rugby's world Cup let alone the FIFA world Cup. I wish we would have the confidence in ourselves to make a joke and move on. Do you realise this is about the sixth article on this theme. My point is God they could have ago at us and our domestic competitions, our three sets of international rules and so on. They do not. You get the message. Some of us have nothing better to say. More fundamentally these authors are never on the rugby sites to discuss real rugby and more importantly actual rugby games. Just throw shit against another related but different sport. I meet these bastards all the time put shit on league but actually do not go to rugby games. Fair few of them out there. In fact I am not sure they even like rugby it more of a social statement. Great they make their point but i will still not see these bastards at the local rugby park next year.
westy
Guest
Craig I know it is a manufactured . my point is relative to league so is our club rugby ...it is is a joke. As you say enjoy it but know it is a joke. See you at the next Uni v penrith game. The betting is even money for 100 to nil. All is well.
craig
Guest
Poor JimC, Have a cry mate. This is tongue in cheek humour!! Get over it! The league World Cup is a joke. Sure, enjoy (I have) but know it is a joke!!!!
westy
Guest
The Brisbane club rugby first grade competition. Now this is funny.
JimC
Guest
This is a pathetic attempt at humour. So you're a twisted union fan who doesn't like rugby league. Change the record and let us fans enjoy it. I don't see nonsense like this written about any other sport.
westy
Guest
I always wonder why the leaguies never really bite. Then I realised unlike me a rugby supporter who admits to a soft spot for the game thay really do not visit this site. That let all us rugby boys and girls live in our own unreal domestic world. Really what articles could they have wriiten about a code that tried to run a national club competition and landed on their proverbial arse after how many years...one. Better still all those 5000 and I was there ( about 4000 at best) to watch the Sydney first grade grand final. We got an audience acroos Australia of 60000. looks great against a dog of a code that gets 80000 and over 2 million television audience. Yet no articles on here demeaning it. These leaguies connect for better or worse with their local communities and rugby is still stuck with pricks like this who do not know how to run a game. Rugby has three sets of international rules but all is well in the hen house. Do we realise what this makes us look like . These leaguies are celebrating their game and between you and me I would be happy to get their crowds.IOur better international exposure and corporate support which has little to do with commercial return but private school connection gives us a warm cuddly feeling. We rely on it. It covers our superiority complex which may be an inferiority. What makes a mockery of this article is we do not have a domestic game of quality to offer ...so people watch what is simply a better domestic product...NRL. . Rugby never looks stupid. We are the only code in Australia who could turn a simple game of touch into Wallatag not 6 touches but 5 we just have to be different and you no longer just need a ball you need velcro tags and you can kick as long as the ball does not land within 10 metres of your own player stop my head hurts..why not just play touch . Oh no you may play with the proles ...make it different just for us so we can just play ....the converted to the converted Do not look to closely at the ratings for our Hong Kong bash ...........live on seven we got 400000 whilst on a delayed broadcast of a game everyone at half time knew who won league got over 900000. What a field day those leaguies in Australia could have with us if they were of a mind, .I believe in rugby despite its deficiencies. I think it is imperative we have a viable professional semi professional domestic code to offer as an alternative if league falters. I am in a minority. Some rugby people will watch happily watch Wallaby team made up completely of imports if we are not careful. Probably what is most galling about this articl is if it were not for 3 or 4 private schools in QLD rugby would be dead in that state and even here rugby is faltering. Queensland rugby is weak . .......but lets score cheap points. I have one abiding respect of league for all its faults and crassness it wears its heart on its sleave and has strong communal links across the community. No amount of cheap shots will overcome this at the moment . The proudest i have been of my rugby community this year is the $10000 each donated by ARU and NSWRU and the donations from the broad rugby community from Wagga Wagga /Lane Cove /Manly/Parramatta and all over this state to the Prarie Vale school fund for their rugby team to represent Australia in the international school competition in Japan . They have $50000 uniforms bags equipment and need $20000 more. . This tour will do more for rugby than articles like this. These boys are Arabic/Islander /Asian and European . They are the modern Australia and more power to them. Anyone who can help should contact the school. phone number 96040922 at Mimosa Road Bossley Park nsw . Solid working class stock who play and enjoy rugby.Any amount is welcome. We can connect if we try.
Mark H
Guest
Bit late isnt it? last week of the cup and still nobodys got a clue.
sunshinecoaster
Guest
Oh i guess somebody had to be sensitive Great article and very funny i enjoyed it
Skull
Guest
Sorry, didnt finish. But then again its hardly worth it.
Skull
Guest
Mate this article is so funny, I laughed until I stopped. Whatever happened to editorial standards on this site. Its all become a joke. Seems like any imbecile can post anything now. But then again the authors name give it all away. Here a tip old mate, why dont you post under your real name
mtngry
Guest
That is hardly fair, I knew the world cup was on 2 years ago.. I even tried to order a corperate box for one of the games in November last year and then again in March, and then again a few months later, and then again every month after that until about a month before the game when someone finally answered their email or phone. They are on the ball these Rugby League administrators. p.s. Fiji to win!