David Collier, our new global leader (rugby league fans finally have someone to take the aliens to meet when they ask), has made his first bold statement, warning we won’t be pushed around by other sports anymore.
The former England and Wales Cricket Board CEO – the first ever Rugby League International Federation boss – comes across as fellow who mostly governs by consensus.
Given the chance to make hard and fast statements on clubs releasing players, or Australia showing more of an interest in international footy, he has demurred somewhat.
It’s all about dialogue, he will tell you.
But in a Skype interview I did with him this week, I wanted to know what he thought about rugby union continuing to bully its little brother in certain parts of the world.
In South Africa, league isn’t even realised as a separate sport and was asked by the government to affiliate with SAFU. Two incoming league tours in recent years have been interrupted and just plain blocked by rugby union in Morocco, with the help of local authorities who would not allow teams into, or onto, grounds and in once case pressured a bus driver not to show up.
What does the man who now represents us think of such outdated prejudice?
“There should be absolutely no reason why other sports – not just rugby union – should be fearful of any other sport,” said Collier said.
“The whole essence of the International Olympic Committee and the Commonwealth Games is for multiple sports to work together.
“I think it would backfire on any sport that tries to protect itself because it could very easily find that sport losing its Olympic status – if it did try to prevent other sports.”
In other words – behave, dear Rah-Rahs or we’ll dob you into the IOC, where Collier has much experience through his involvement with hockey.
“That’s one of the roles of the International Federation,” said Collier. “It is the advantage of the decision we’ve just made to take the RLIF to the next level.
“There is now an equivalent body that is active to be a conduit to the IRB and – if necessary – to IOC and other parties.”
Collier says his major focus outside of the World Cup is to make sure rugby league is a big part of the 2018 Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast. It is unlikely we’ll see the much heralded “second property” – an RLIF-owned international tournament aside from the World Cup – emerge before then.
***
We talk a lot about politics in this column but I wanted to make a comment about pure football after watching Johnathan Thurston haul North Queensland back into a game they were badly losing on Monday – and then win it for them.
Only a few times in 30 years have I walked out of a stadium feeling I had witnessed individual greatness.
Wally Lewis did it almost every time I saw him play Origin. In the case of Andrew Johns, I realised how precious it was to watch him from the sidelines before it was too late to really savour the experience.
And there were times watching Peter Sterling, when he had the other 25 players wrapped around his finger, that left you gape-mouthed.
There have been countless others greats – Mal Meninga, Darren Lockyer, Laurie Daley, Allan Langer, Brad Fittler, Sonny Bill Williams – who were half a rung below these four when it came to imposing their will on a contest with sheer talent and tenacity.
But I now put Thurston up with that top group.
Four or five years ago, walking a kilometre to hail a cab from the Cowboys’ ground at suburban Kirwan, I suddenly had a deep sense of privilege at having had the opportunity to watch a career like Thurston’s at close quarters.
Savour every minute of it folks. It’ll be over before you know it.
pjm
Roar Rookie
He's used to spouting stuff to his mates who can't fact check.
Pickett
Guest
Mike, How many of those 62k were expat Kiwis, Aussies, Saffas, Brits etc - I would guess a very substantial.
pjm
Roar Rookie
Countries will invest millions of dollars to get 1 gold medal. You'd be foolish to think any money invested into 7's won't affect Rugby.
Birdy
Guest
Mike t you should learn to relax. If you think RL pushing for a major game in the US in a major stadium is a bridge too far then good on ya. My opinion is that in 3 to 5 years it is a must target and very achievable. Our marketing arm is improving at a rapid rate and if Hayne manages to arouse the American imagination then I say let's go for it. We have a great product , let's stop putting ourselves down .
mikeT
Guest
William Dalton... seriously?!. "QLD vs NSW sold out in LA". The crowd was 12,349 fans at Veterans Memorial Stadium in California. I'm just going to take a guess here but with that capacity it would not be considered a 'major stadium'. The Aus vs USA game played was the Libery Bell Cup played at Franklin Field, Philidelphia in 2004 in front of between 8,000k to 10k. This was not a sell out and again was not a 'major stadium. Better check your facts next time. As for one media outlet confusing the all blacks as Australian - how many times have we seen Americans confuse teams and sports? Answer lots. The reality is 62,000 sold out a NFL stadium in Chicago, so must be doing something right.
Kaks
Roar Guru
Good. He legitimately walked out while contracted with the Bulldogs.
clipper
Guest
Agree, In Brief - whenever the latest league debacle gets broadcast overseas, everyone automatically thinks it's Rugby Union.
Rugger
Guest
Steve typical write up mate. League has been professional for 100 years at yet apart from here it has not achieved much. Now that rugby is going place thanks to 7s and Olympic league types including yourself look with envy. Watching the Hong Kong 7s I have to agree 7s rugby is better spectacle than NRL any day of the week. And all the talk about international growth for league will come to nothing because of NRL. They cannot even release players for 4 nations farce let alone other lesser nations.
Glenn Innes
Guest
The first part of the article is just plain silly and plays to some sort of victim culture.I like Rugby League and I don't like Rugby Union, but at the same time I accept the fact that Rugby Union like any other sport has the right to do whatever it can to protect it's market share. Why would Rugby Union not do all in it's power to try and stop competition from a rival sport.?.They would be both negligent in their duties and bloody stupid if they didn't. What does Collier think he is going to do to influence events in Morocco or South Africa (where according to this article the ANC Government is protecting the chosen sport of Afrikaans,,, like yeh meanwhile back on planet earth). As for paragraph eight it is too silly for words.ALL sports compete with each other, they compete for participants, spectators government funding, media coverage etc,etc and at the end of the day all is fair in love and war you do what you can to protect your turf. Rugby Union would not get any thanks from Rugby League for easing it's pathway into union markets so why would you expect them to do so Rugby League will live or die on it's own merits ,it can't expect Rugby Union to give it a helping hand by shooting itself in the foot.
Birdy
Guest
Thanks WDD,
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
QLD vs NSW sold out in LA. Aus vs usa sold out not too many years ago as well. It's really not that hard to sell out one offs in a country as big as America. Btw it's not a good look for the game when everyone thinks "the most recognisable team in in rugby full stop" were from a different country. They all thought the ABs were Australian.
mikeT
Guest
Birdy, what teams would play this 'major international' played in a 'major stadium' in the US? Kangaroos v kiwis the two best teams in the world couldn't even sell out a four nations final in NZ, while the kangaroos playing a quarterfinal of the 2014 RLWC in a neutral country drew 5k people. The AB's are the most recognisable team in rugby full stop and they were playing the USA in the US which believe it or not has a growing fan base and established college/club system - that is why that game was able to sell out a major stadium. Until RL invests in growing the game at grass roots, gets a decent USA league team with Americans in it, and getting RL on mainstream TV - selling out major stadiums is a pipe dream.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Kevin Sinfeld should be in a retirement home. If league in England is dead because he left then the NRL died when Mathew Bowen left for super league.
Johnno
Guest
And it's English 2nd divsion rugby union club.
Johnno
Guest
Jeremy lol. Sinfield is 35 this year, hardly a loss now. He retired from the pom team anyway. His body can't cope with the grind of RL anymore.
Jeremy
Guest
Kevin Sinfeld just signed with RU. League in England is dead.
duecer
Guest
Epiquin - Football and Tennis are already big sports internationally, with Grand Slams and World Cups that have the whole world interested, so that when the Olympics come the exposure to countries that don't play are limited. Rugby Union is played in a lot less countries, so that Olympic exposure would be a great help to countries that don't know much about it. It's quite an accomplishment to get to Olympic status - unfortunately Rugby League has about as much chance of making it there, due to it's coverage, as American Football, Gaelic Football or Aussie Rules. I think golf is making a comeback in 2016, last being there over a hundred years ago. Cricket may have a change in the future, but I don't think it is played in enough countries at present.
Soporific
Guest
Mateo eligble for NSW not QLD.
William Dalton Davis
Roar Rookie
Rugby league is a breakaway game of Rugby. They don't need to drop the rugby. Makes you so confused then go read a book or go brand yourself appropriately as an idiot. April 1st ;)
Birdy
Guest
WDD I agree . Queensland perfect one day then nth Qld the next.