It may seem like a strange time to ask this question at the end of the most successful World Cup in a generation.
We’ve seen sell-out crowds, entertaining games and a general feel good factor about rugby league that this country hasn’t felt since the early 90s.
We’ve also had the surreal sight of rival nations linking arms and joining each other in prayer at the final whistle.
Two months ago nobody outside the M62 corridor seemed to know the competition was even taking place, and despite some of the domestic problems they’re currently facing, the RFL deserve enormous credit for making this tournament as successful as it could possibly be.
But something is missing. And that something is passion.
Nobody doubts the commitment of all 34 men who set foot on the field in each game and in a sport like rugby league anything less than 100% can have serious consequences.
No, it’s not the passion of the players, it’s the passion of the fans that I feel is missing.
And if we’re being honest, who can really blame them?
Can you really expect a country as patriotic as America to rally behind a team comically nicknamed ‘The United States of Australia?’
Or a nation as passionate as the Italians to really care for a side that has just two of their own in a 24 man squad?
Trust me, even as a Pom it makes my blood boil when I see Rangi Chase in an England shirt!
But, as we all know, if these countries were to select players based on ‘stricter’ regulations, we’d probably see the scoring record broken every other day.
But even with the ‘heritage’ rule, it was always going to be England, Australia, New Zealand and one other in the semi-finals.
Not only that, but because the passage to the last four was pretty much guaranteed regardless, the opening defeat to the Aussies didn’t hurt half as much as it should of. And, because we knew we’d get our own back when the cricket started!
Compare this to Old Trafford in 1990 when a Mal Meninga inspired Australia levelled the series with a game to go, it felt like the roof of British rugby league had just caved in.
And this was in stark contrast to a sold out Wembley two weeks earlier, where 85,000 people celebrated in unison a 19-12 victory over the old enemy.
Fast forward four years, Wembley again the scene.
Another 85,000 crammed into the famous old stadium, when a flash of brilliance from Johnathan Davies secured another unlikely victory for the Lions.
Even though both series ended with the inevitable Australian series win, enough people cared to fill the national stadium on consecutive tours, the same stadium which will not be full for a World Cup semi final double header.
Don’t get me wrong, I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the few weeks, and really hope this becomes a regular tournament.
It’s not often you get to see players like Sam Burgess, Cameron Smith and Sonny Bill Williams over here, on the same weekend, and in the flesh.
But if we’re being honest, it’s really only when we get to the semi-finals when people start to care passionately.
Even in 1988 when 2-0 down in the series, everyone remembers how Ellery Hanley celebrated the winning the final Test.
Did Kevin Sinfield do the same after beating Ireland? Or Isaac Luke after demolishing Papua New Guinea?
What about Greg Inglis after thrashing Fiji? And I didn’t see any fans jumping out of their seats at the final whistle. Purely because the games, as expected, were over before half time.
And this, for me, is why we need to bring back three match Test Series.
England, Australia and New Zealand all have a responsibility to the developing nations.
But they also have a responsibility to each other. And most of all, they have a responsibility to the fans.
We don’t want to see one sided run outs, we want to see close battles.
We want to see the best players in the world up against each other on a regular basis. We want bragging rights. But above all, we want to care every time our country takes to the field.
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