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PRENTICE: What rugby league fans should be looking for in the World Cup final

29th October, 2015
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Israel Folau has not had the best tournament. Will he shine in the final? (Photo: Paul Barkley/LookPro)
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29th October, 2015
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I’ve got rugby league pumping trough my veins. That code has literally been my bread and butter since I was 20 years of age but as a kid, rugby union was my sport.

I played it at school and loved it, but league dragged me in all because of a phenomenal North Sydney winger – the unbeatable and irrepressible Ken Irvine.

My father (and then local priest) took me to Bear Park as a teenager and I saw this man in the black and red No.2 jumper. He was not a huge guy by any stretch, but jeez he could run.

Irvine scored three tries that day against Parramatta and I’ll admit I never had a genuine sporting hero before.

I had one forever in the space of 80 minutes.

Why Irvine was not inducted as one of the earliest Immortals is beyond all comprehension. In his position, there had never been a better flank-man and there may never be.

I digress. That experience for the young T Prentice was in the late 1960s. I still loved my rugby union when I finished school in the early ’70s, but the Wallabies didn’t have anyone remotely as exciting as Kenny Irvine and my bent went towards the rugby league code.

League became a huge part of my working life. I became a sports writer and still liked union but it quickly paled because of the job at hand.

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Enough about ancient history. I have never stopped watching rugby union. I used to love the ABC telecast of the Saturday club game of the round in the Shute Shield. Club rugby union. It has a unique romance, a colour of its own.

It’s now found on something called Seven Two on digital – and yes, I am guilty of finding it when the chance arises.

I’ll freely admit that the Rugby World Cup has got me by the short and curlies. I have watched the Wallabies’ progress as closely as many who roar on this site.

I have also watched many more games that did not feature Australia. I feel the rugby union product is watch-able if not for the overall pace of play and those pedantic penalties whistled by some of the international referees.

Come on – a yellow card and a 10-minute sit-down for a ‘deliberate’ knock-on? Nup. That rule is a farce.

This writer does not like the constant re-setting of scrums and lineouts. In my view, that’s glorified nit-picking on many occasions. Please refs, let the guys play football.

As a league person, I do like the contest that is scrums.

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The ‘lean-to’ crap we have in league is embarrassing. Hookers are nothing more than extra half-backs, props are back-rowers having a breather and ‘set pieces’ are pretty much designed to give the backs room to move.

I like the fact that in union one tackle does not necessarily stop the play. If a team is good enough to re-cycle cleanly and legally, the action can continue for six, seven, eight or even more phases.

This writer really likes watching the world’s premier goal-kickers excel consistently at their craft.

These days, almost all favour the around-the-corner kicking method that I first saw from the amazing John Gray, a North Sydney Bear (who introduced it to Australian rugby league in 1974 but had starred with it in northern hemisphere union before he began his career at Wigan RLFC).

Even though I have some beefs about the cheer-leading commentators on Aussie TV, I’ll be up and cheering hard for the Wallabies in the World Cup final.

Naturally, I’ll have a keen eye trained in the direction of ex-Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Bronco superstar, Israel Folau.

Granted, Izzy has had a wretched tournament so far for a variety of reasons but if his ankle is okay, look out!

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In my sports-writing career, I have seen no better player in really big matches than this extraordinarily gifted athlete. He has been bagging tries in ‘biggies’ since his teenage years and if his ankle is up to the task, the All Blacks had better be on their best defensive behaviour.

There are other Wallabies I really like watching.

Winger Drew Mitchell is a genuine star who can turn a half break into a try. The work-rate and effectiveness of Michael Hooper and David Pocock are truly amazing to watch over 80 minutes. And we league types had the temerity to think that rugby convert Ray Price was ‘Mr Perpetual Motion’!

I get a big thrill watching Kurtley Beale enter the fray and try to make a difference. He certainly can – and often does.

One must admire Adam Ashley-Cooper’s ability to plant the ball over the line, but I feel there have been way too many occasions when he has hogged the ball and blithely ignored his supports. I’ll freely admit I frown every time he gets the ball.

It must be said, in a column such as this, that I am in awe of the mighty All Blacks – the way they play their rugby, the fact that games are not over until the 80th minute, or when the ref says so.

I am excited in the countdown to the World Cup final kick-off. Not a whole lot between New Zealand and Australia, and this could well turn out to be one of the greatest union deciders of all time.

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Sadly, there is nobody running out there with my so-called, ‘Kenny Irvine charisma’.

But there are enough players who can bring me to my feet ensuring this is a fierce and ultimately fantastic football contest not to be missed.

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