Sport is built on rivalries, or more precisely the passion, the TV ratings and the outlandish referee conspiracy theories that they create.
While some rivalries are as natural as a dog eating its own poo, others need a bit of a kick up the bum to get things moving.
This weekend will see the second clash between the English rugby-league team and the ‘Exiles’, a side made up of ex-NRL players now nursing Diamond Jubilee hangovers and playing in the ESL.
Last year’s inaugural match saw an entertaining 16-12 win to the Exiles and this year the concept has been expanded to a two-game series.
The big question, however, (apart from which team Rangi Chase will run out for) is whether or not the series will become a mainstay on the rugby-league calendar.
Or will it disappear to join the World Sevens and the War of the Roses at the smouldering ashes of Cumberland Oval in the sky.
On one hand you have the naysayers.
They call the game as useless as a copy of The Sun with page three missing and bemoan the thought of one of their club’s stars getting hurt in such a fixture.
It is easy to understand their argument when you realise that ESL players already play an extraordinarily high number of games each year, with 27 premiership rounds plus the Challenge Cup to contend with.
At the same time, though, it is important to undertsand that rugby league’s State of Origin had opponents to its introduction for very similar reasons.
They said having club-mates face each other was stupidity. They said no-one would care.
Skip forward over thirty years and the series is still going strong, even if NSW’s recent lack of success would be enough to make even Anthony Robbins curl up in bed with a tinny of XXXX and cry himself to sleep.
Each year the series provides rugby league with a much-needed cash injection, plus more biffs, controversy and wacky antics than a Nick D’Arcy photo-shoot.
If the Exiles concept becomes even half as successful as State of Origin, then English rugby league will receive a huge boost.
The game will have another showpiece event and England’s players will receive a chance to play together against quality opposition, hopefully steeling themselves for upcoming Tests against the Kangaroos and Kiwis.
So, will the England versus Exiles series prove its worth?
At this stage the answer is about as certain as Stanley Gene’s real age.
The concept is very much in its infancy and will have to produce results to win over the doubters.
That means good crowds, financial viability, and some better future showings from England’s national team.
If Gareth Hock can take a leaf out of big Artie’s book and smash club team-mate Brett Finch in the face, the series will have a much better chance of survival.
And let’s face it; wouldn’t we all enjoy seeing that?
oikee
Guest
I think the exiles would work well here, you have to market the game right, but having Benji Burgess, Graham, Tamou (yes i know he plays for NSW, but he is a Kiwi) and others outside the 2 states would be a great marketing ploy for league. You could sell the game easier to other cities as well if they have a couple of players in this team. Benji would attract a big crowd. Burgess, the poms. Marketing is the next area league needs to get right.
Nafe
Guest
I like the Aboriginal All Stars V Pacific Island All Stars game. I reckon that would be a cracker. They need to remove the Australia v NZ match prior to SOO and this could be the perfect replacement.
Daz
Guest
For a concept to take off teams need to represent an area or a culture. At the moment most kiwis and aussies would not even know about the exiles games. Even if they did know about it most people would not care as players that are not longer wanted in the NRL are not all of sudden going to unite all Kiwis and Aussies. I think the way forward is to have a combined pacific team. They could be very competitive and would give NZ and England some very usefull opposition before facing the Kangaroos. I can imagine they would get very good support to.
Poor Boy Blues
Guest
Thanks for the article. I enjoyed it. I can only hope it becomes an asset for them. I think its a good concept, and I wonder if we would do something like that here, for say, New Zealand's National RL Team when Origin is on.....giving all those city-country second tier players, plus anyone else who missed origin for qld a chance to play against international competition, AND give NZ a quality hit-out at the same time. They could also do a pacific allstars and a indiginous allstars match......it could be that it Becomes the time of year when NZ takes on the All stars of Rugby League. The exiles, all-stars. This is good for all the second string players out there too, gives them another form of "level" to reach, may help keep some in the game. I know everyone is keen to play above the NRL level, and even one/two-off matches such as these (and we are playing primarily for NZ's benefit here) could really help them; beyond just helping nz of course. if origin is happening here, we could take the game to nz, or down to melbourne, over to perth.