Now that State of Origin is finished for 2013, hopefully the rugby league world can afford the same hype and bombast to the game’s true pinnacle – the Rugby League World Cup.
State of Origin is an incredible demonstration of what rugby league is all about and it will always hold a special place in the heart of all fans.
Yet we cannot let this distract us from the fact international rugby league success should be the absolute highest honour a team or player can strive for.
Rugby league had the first World Cup of either rugby code, in France of all places, in 1954. As such, it should be far ahead of its step-sister, rugby union, yet somehow it is not.
It doesn’t help that the media seem to afford no space to the development of rugby league around the world.
Rugby league is by no means an international juggernaut, but very promising steps are being taken across the globe which should be documented, congratulated and celebrated.
For those who have been kept in the dark over RLWC developments by the mainstream media, here are but a few of them:
Italy and the United States both had to undergo qualification tournaments in their respective regions to get a place at this year’s World Cup.
Italy were only separated from Lebanon by points difference in the European group, which shows the side isn’t just a ring-in to fill a spot, it had to genuinely fight for its chance to compete in England and Wales come the end of the year.
With players like Anthony Minichiello (also captain) and Craig Gower both committed to represent Italy at the tournament, they could be the surprise packet at their very first World Cup.
The USA had a less torrid trial to enter the competition, but the greatest sign from them is the high number of domestic representation in that qualifying squad.
Only eight of the 28 man squad played outside of the United States, which shows a lot of promise in the US domestic scene, especially when considered that Jamaica had very high representation from English rugby league sides.
Under the tutelage of NRL coach Matthew Elliot, the United States will be playing in their first Rugby League World Cup and, like Italy, could surprise a few pundits who won’t give them a chance against some of the more established nations.
Speaking of Matthew Elliot, the calibre of coaches which are now attached to international teams has greatly improved on the road to the RLWC, with many now being led by current or former NRL coaches.
Rick Stone at Fiji, Steve Price at Samoa and Mal Meninga working with Adrian Lam at Papua New Guinea are all great signs for these nation’s chances.
England, New Zealand and France have all indicated they will partake in warm-up matches against Italy, the Cook Islands and the USA respectively, giving these developing countries even more experience against the top sides of international rugby league.
So let’s all leave Origin in the past, get excited about the World Cup and encourage the spread of the gospel of rugby league across the world.
The Rugby League World Cup should be the pinnacle of our sport, it’s about time we start treating it as such.
harry hopworthy
Guest
Everything is wrong in admitting that two Australian states bashing each other is the pinnacle of Rugby League. Test matches are the summit of Rugby League, as they are in Rugby Union and Football, although for some reason, they don't actually use that particular term in the game of Football. The sport that's 11-a-Side and played with a round ball: a Football. !!! In the two Rugby codes , I call the ball, a Rugby ball. But then I'm from Exeter in Devon, and we all use that term here. Surely, only those folk from Queensland and New South Wales , have a connection with that series. I certainly don't watch it. And I stopped watching Australian club Rugby League, because I got fed up to the back teeth, with that bloody word : Football, continually being flashed on the screen. I thought to myself, I don't need this rubbish, and simply ceased to watch. I think the current game of Rugby League has got real problems. I do hate to say this, and the tragedy is, that It's totally self-inflicted. Has anybody got the guts to bring back contested scrums and straight feeds. Because,at the moment, that area is simply awful. !!! It really is. Most Play-The-Balls are not correctly done. It looks bad. The other blight on the game : forward passes. LOADS.
Glenn Innis
Guest
Matt Leeds Rugby League may be in a better financial,position than Leeds United football but that isn't a guide to the relative popularity of the the two sports Leeds United average bigger crowds (their average crowd last season was just over 21000) despite the fact they are not even in the premier league.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Correct Matt_S it also goes to show with a bit of administrative reorganisation,things can be on the improve,as the following story on the Cumbria area of England, amateur rl will attest :- http://www.barla.org.uk/News/Details.asp?id=3289 Then we get a classic and enjoyable comment by a Brisbane times journo after Origïn " "We all know rugby league is a dying sport,only watched by two states on the east coast and a few people in Hull.It doesn't have the appeal of rugby because players don't get to visit exotic destinations like Pretoria and Invercargill and it can't compete with AFL which is incredibly incredible in every facet of its glorious existence(copyright Andrew Demetriou).Given those obvious handicaps,it's rather impressive that SOO smashed TV ratings records.Game three was the highest rating game of all time,with 4.232million people tuning in across the country.And Phil Gould 's soliloquy returned to the decider.Happy campers."
Matt_S
Guest
Pretty bad they couldn't even sell out the Crusaders finals game last night. 12,000 apparently out of the 18,000 capacity.
Boomshanka
Guest
It's funny how the NZRU are demanding a 35000 covered stadium in Christchurch, after booting out the Rugby League tenants (who now have to play in open suburban grounds). All while some residents survive in leaky homes and outside toilets. After the government built a temporary stadium two years ago, the Union boys have only filled it twice. Talk about priorities.
Boomshanka
Guest
Yes, via the same network that tells us Nine is the "home of Rugby League". just saying.... hype and bulldust are what Nine is about.
Boomshanka
Guest
Think about it. The best thing for Australian league and the competition here, would be a New Zealand v England final. Would stop the hype nonsense in its tracks that Origin is the pinnacle, Best v Best etc.
Boomshanka
Guest
That shouldn't be too hard. Any Network with an ounce of respect for the game would treat rugby league better than Channel 9. Channel 9 are the sewer rats of Australian media.
clpper
Guest
It is funny how big Netball is in NZ nationwide (not just Auckland)from an Australian perspective and I would hazard a guess that the big NZ Australia games would outrate the warriors as well
Renegade
Guest
Too funny.
Sleiman Azizi
Roar Guru
The ONLY difference between Australia and New Zealand is consistent and regular staging of high intensity matches. Australians have Origin. The New Zealanders don't. Ensure New Zealand (and England/Great Britain) get regular annual matchES and very soon you will see that everything else surrounding 'quality' is hype and marketing.
Davey
Guest
Super rugby finals is run by the NZRU so they will make a little bit of money. In NZ super rugby and school 1st XV games outrates the NZ warriors on Sky TV while netball often beats the rest of the NRL games without the Warriors. Rugby don't usually publish attendances because its not very important or have an obsession like some football code do.
Matt_S
Guest
You should concentrate on super rugby finals surely? is your sport becoming boring? I hear the Crusaders are expecting a financial loss on a finals game tonight? And I did notice a lot of attendances weren't published for the super 15 season, any reason?
Matt_S
Guest
No doubt there are many great league towns that do struggle but this is also a lot to do with changing populations, demographics, competing with clubs, like EPL, with much larger budgets, and many clubs failing to simply change with the times etc. Leeds RLFC have done very well of late, they have a great stadium which caters not only for the footy side, but the community. Financially, they are far better off than Leeds United. This is a good example of ebbs & flows in all sporting clubs lives. Clubs like Swinton are now back in the hands of supporters and there is talk they will once again have their own home ground within town boundaries. Probably never regain their glory years but certainly a good grassroots club serving the game well. Salford have regenerated with a new stadium and all they need is success on the field to draw new supporters from the Greater Manchester region who may be attracted to a hard working sport with less prima donnas and a cheaper entertainment option from the over priced EPL.
Davey
Guest
If you say so but the SOO been the pinnacle of rugby league in Australia have been mention many times over by players. Just saying...
Matt_S
Guest
I would have thought the future lies wherever people want to develop and play the game. There is no doubt league has its struggles but it has done quite well despite soccer's popularity. I think the game in the UK just needs to strike the right balance. Clubs like Salford, Widnes struggle I think because they struggle on the field. Leeds had 18,000 last night against Wakefield in a tremendous game of league. The likes of Wayne Rooney, Rio Ferdinand, Ryan Giggs follow Super League avidly. Tour De France champ Bradley Wiggins, when coming into contact with the game, became a big fan. I think Super league/rugby league will always remain out of the spotlight due to comps like the EPL but it needs to find its niche, aim for crowds over 12-15,000 on average and it will be a tremendous sport for its fans and those whose glances become more frequent.
Glenn Innis
Guest
Towns like Oldham and Swinton were once League towns, back in the fifties Leeds Rugby League used to draw bigger crowds than Leeds United, but these days soccer in England is just so dominant it's like every other sport is just a minor diversion whilst it has it's brief moment in the sun before everyone returns to the only sport that to the man in the pommie street really matters.
Matt_S
Guest
And union people like to think everything is rosy in their world. You are fed lies from time to time and lap it up i.e up to 20,000 each day at the Sevens in Moscow when the crowd clearly was in the hundreds.
Matt_S
Guest
Well Rabs mentioned the World Cup last night on Friday nite footy, the World Cup gets plenty of mentions on the NRL's FB page, and there are mentions of it in regular articles in newspapers. Channel 7 mentioned it is broadcasting the cup a few times on news outlets like Sunrise etc, so word is getting out there, and I'm sure Seven will ramp up coverage closer to the event. Heck even the Jillaroos have been on The Game Plan, Footy Shows (Thurs & Sun), paraded at Origin III, so the amount of exposure has been quite good.
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
I take a little more notice from:- http://www.therfl.co.uk/about_the_rfl Than a couple of agenda driven snipers.