Now that the big boys of the tournament are set to hog the limelight in the semi-finals, what happens to the rest of the little guys whose teams got bundled out early?
Do they go and visit the Millennium Dome? Hang around and watch the finals? Head straight back to work walking some pampered corgis for the rich and famous?
Well I’ve got a better idea – let’s get them together!
Quite often with international rugby league the ‘Big Three’ term used to describe perennial powerhouses Australia, New Zealand and England is rolled out more often than a butchered national anthem.
It can be a source of frustration at times, as it is often used to talk down the international rugby league scene.
However, it’s undeniable that if you look at the squads of these three they do have significantly more depth in their roster than the other competing nations.
This is not to say that the other eleven competing nations don’t have any quality players, in fact there are some bloody great players in there.
It’s just that many of the tier-2 onwards teams also contain a slice of Superstar-extender.
So if we took the best parts from each of the other eleven teams in the cup and put them all together, what would it look like?
Based on form at the tournament and excluding any players possibly soon to be coming to you in a Maroon or sky blue jersey (i.e. no Milford, T Sims, Taufua etc) or switch allegiances in the next 5mins, here’s how I think the Leftovers United would look.
My Rugby League World Cup ‘Best of the rest’ team
1. Morgan Escare (France)
2. Matt Russell (Scotland)
3. Konrad Hurrell (Tonga)
4. BJ Leilua (Samoa)
5. David Mead (PNG)
6. Danny Brough (Scotland)
7. Craig Priestly (USA)
8. Remi Casty (France)
9. Paul Aiton (PNG)
10. Ben Flower (Wales)
11. Dale Ferguson (Scotland)
12. Jason Bukuya (Fiji)
13. Joseph Paulo (USA)
Interchange
14. Charlie Wabo (PNG)
15. Sauia Matagi (Samoa)
16. Ukuma Ta’ai (Tonga)
17. Eloni Vunakece (Fiji)
As you can see it’s no too difficult to put together a classy looking side, and provided they didn’t let David Mead kick for goal I believe they could give any footy team a run for their money.
So, what to do with them?
In the past I haven’t particularly been a fan of uninterested ‘Rest of the World’ Sides playing in hastily cobbled together rainbow jerseys, and including a team like the above in an established tournament like the Four Nations would be a mistake.
However, with the ‘Big three’ continually being put on a pedestal by rugby league’s media I think a select side like the above would jump at the chance to play one of the big boys and knock them off.
Better yet, imagine if the match could somehow become a part of the World Cup tournament itself, like if England got knocked out in the semi-finals and played the above side in a match before the final.
Personally I think it would be quite the spectacle, and it would be magnificent to see how good players like Escare and Priestly are when they’re not forced to tackle for three quarters of a match.
And, if nothing else, would stop another seventeen or so tourists wasting their cash visiting the Millennium Dome…
Pot Stirrer
Guest
My Team Barba Wanga Hurrel Linnett Paulo Brough Civonceve THe French Hooker) Nappa Bukuya Guerra T.Simms Masoe Evans Frizzel W. Ngama
Luke Smyke
Roar Pro
Great idea Chris, i think it would give the tournament a little more substance. It almost appears as though we have just been waiting for this final since day one and everything in the build up has been trivial.
Dave
Guest
Not one of those players would look out of place in the NRL (those that aren't alrteady in the NRL). For those who say the RLWC is a waste of time, you are dreaming. This pool of players, and many more are top shelf, and the likes of the USA number 7, Craig Priestly, would not be known in the Rugby League world outside the narrow scope of the USA Rugby League, had it not been for this platform. This clearly evidences the worth of the competition. I would suspect that many clubs will make a play for some of these olayers and others who are unlucky not to have made your team.
Mantis
Roar Guru
If that's the case, good on him. Would be a major boost for the international game if more players did that. I wonder though if he had a chance to play for Australia, and therefore Origin, if he still would have stuck with Tonga?
Adam Everitt
Roar Rookie
"As you can see it’s no too difficult to put together a classy looking side, and provided they didn’t let David Mead kick for goal I believe they could give any footy team a run for their money." HAHA - I went to this game. It was an absolute shocker. Good post, mate. Enjoyable read...!!
Chris Chard
Expert
Sure do! PNG always lifted when he came on, imagine him and Vunakece coming on with 15m to go in the first half!
Chris Chard
Expert
On form for sure DSF, but i'm pretty sure he'll be with QLD in the near future so I decided to leave him out
Chris Chard
Expert
Apparently NZ wanted him for this tournament- however he chose to play for Tonga and has indicated this is what he plans to do in the future. He did only move to NZ in 2009 after all!
DSF
Guest
Geez I thought Anthony Milford would have been in the mix he has been so dangerous for Samoa.
code 13
Roar Guru
The tournament is on track for a record attendance so yes people watch the world cup. On topic - you could actually form at least 1-2 solid NRL quality sides out of non contracted players featured in this world cup. People complain that expansion isn't feasible with the current player pool - those people simply need to take their heads out of the sand and look beyond Australia.
Mantis
Roar Guru
You left out players who are soon to be in a blue or maroon jersey. Surely Hurrell is soon to be wearing a Black jersey, and should be therefore left out as well.
Old Alo
Guest
Does anybody actually watch this nonsense that is the "Rugby League World Cup"? There are only 2 real teams -- even England is pretty ordinary. this is not a competition, it's a contest for garish uniform designs. An Origin series that has NSW v Qld v NZ v GB v Pacific Islands (including PNG) (and v The Rest?) would be so much more interesting and play a 3 Nations (A v NZ v GB) every two years alternating between the hemispheres.
The Koomz
Guest
Chris, I see you still love Charlie Wabo.
Ken
Guest
Specifically from the Irish point of view you are right - they got a tough run and were always unlikely to win a game. From the wider view though it's also easy to argue that the, somewhat complicated, grouping system has actually been fairly successful in generating an effective schedule of matches. Ireland did get games against 2 heavyweights sides, including Australia at home - OK they were probably always going to be getting hidings but at least it was being done by the best in the business - but would they have been better off playing Cook Islands and Italy? Hard to say,
Kris Swales
Expert
I'd take Escare, Russell, Brough and Priestly at my club in a heartbeat. Even when the Tomahawks were getting belted all over the park by the Aussies, the little #7 kept having a dig.
KFC
Guest
So 3 teams from the same group make the quarter finals. Ireland was the 4th team in this group. How can the people responsible for deciding what teams play in what groups honestly have grouped Ireland with Australia England and Fiji, and feel like they done a good job? Ireland where never going to go far in the World Cup, but give a country a chance. How are Ireland's results going to have a positive effect on the very small population of league fans in Ireland? Their trying to promote league in a Union dominated country. Good on them for the way they played with heart and soul and gave the bigger nations the respect they deserve. How about the RLWC organisers give the smaller nations the respect THEY deserve? P.S. This is coming from an Australian.
Chris Chard
Expert
Ahh nuts! Sorry wrote this one waiting for the Samoa v Fiji match and have mixed up my Paulos! I of course meant Joseph Paulo at lock....I realise he's been playing five-eighth this tournament but i'd like him as a roving lock who occasionally jumps in at second reciever ala Scott Hill Fixed now Great team by the way mate CC
Daniel Szabo
Roar Guru
It's a good side. I reckon Matty Russell has been the form fullback of the competition so far (from non-big 3 teams). I'd also have to have the Fijian front rowers Ashton Sims and Civoniceva in there with Mose Masoe off the bench. Also, big call to leave out Joseph Paulo. I'd have him at 6 and shift Brough to halfback (unfortunately for Priestly who's also been great). My team: 1. Russell (Scotland) 2. Pat Richards (Ireland) 3. Hurrell (Tonga) 4. BJ Leilua (Samoa) 5. Kevin Naiqama (Fiji) 6. Joseph Paulo (USA) 7. Danny Brough (Scotland) 8. Ashton Sims (Fiji) 9. Éloi Pélissier (France) 10. Petero Civoniceva (Fiji) (C) 11. Tyson Frizell (Wales) 12. Jayson Bukuya (Fiji) 13. Neville Costigan (PNG) 14. Ian Henderson (Scotland) 15. Mose Masoe (Samoa) 16. Aiden Guerra (Italy) 17. Remi Casty (France)
Ra
Guest
Good idea Chris and I'm sure you are inviting critics to your selections but we will never be pleased, because of the immense talent that either surfaced, or was there all the time, and put on display for the whole world to see e.g. established big rollers like Masoe (Samoa) and Moimoi (Tonga) and the dashing Cook Islands winger, whose name someone will remind me of. Junior Paulo's shares should jump out at Parramatta and Escare (France) what a sensation. International Rugby League needs to keep the momentum rolling as a priority. And it should continue to hold firm on its relaxed eligibility rulings for the sake of the game and for the sake of heritage and cultural values of travelled peoples. What the RLWC has done has not one shared it's game, it has strengthened family and cultural ties for migratory peoples. That is a great bonus that those troll from rival codes do not wish to understand because of their narrow selfish focus probably For too long the club competitions SL & NRL have drained off the cream and the Big Three have dominated the international scene sucking up talent from other nations along the way. This isn't about competing with other codes to have bigger tournaments etc etc, it's about rugby league giving back to it's own and others joining in, if they wish. It's so awesome seeing the Big Three nations giving back to sibling countries, quality players who they developed with their resources at club and international levels for the sake of the sport and families. Well done International Rugby League
Andyhowson
Guest
I'd just like to see the smaller teams play each other more often. Could run a few different tri nations along side each other in the off season. For example Australia vs england vs New Zealand Usa vs Jamaica vs Cook Islands France vs Italy vs Russia Scotland vs wales vs Ireland And by a mile my favourite out of the lot Samoa vs Fiji vs PNG Get the smaller nations playing each other on a regular basis. In terms of a curtain raiser for the final instead of rest of the world you could play best of the rest from the northern hemisphere vs best of the rest from the Southern Hemisphere sort of like the all stars match before nrl but just before the final