The result of tonight’s World Cup Final isn’t important.
It doesn’t matter whether Australia cruise to victory or England cause a huge upset.
This World Cup hasn’t been about winning. It hasn’t been about technical excellence, or flawless completion rates, or pinpoint kicking tactics.
No, those things haven’t mattered at all.
Instead, this World Cup has been about culture and the harmonious joy that only a sport like rugby league can provide. About the little guys: Fiji, Tonga, Papua New Guinea and Lebanon. The underdogs who, despite perhaps lacking the class of Australia, more than made up for it in heart and raw tenacity.
These teams are the ones who personify this World Cup campaign. It’ll be remembered for Fiji captain Kevin Naiqama’s tears of pride when singing the national anthem, a display that made even the toughest men dab their eyes too. For the guys who turned their back on the big dollars and notoriety of established league nations to represent their heritage.
Joe Lovodua of Fiji at the 2017 Rugby League World Cup (NRLPhotos/Scott Davis)
For when Tonga finally beat big brother New Zealand in a nail-biting match between the pacific warriors, sending the sea of red fans in the stands into a delirious frenzy. Then Fiji toppled the Kiwis a week later to astonishingly advance to the semi-finals.
For when Lebanon, with a squad majorly made up of amateur footballers who played for nothing more than love for country, scored their first ever World Cup win over France.
Or when the Papua New Guinea crowd erupted like a long-dormant volcano every time larrikin winger Garry Lo crossed the tryline for their side.
You see, at the conclusion of the last World Cup in 2013, international rugby league was considered a joke. A farce. Nothing more than three competitive teams and a bunch of also-rans to make up the numbers.
Four years later, it’s those same also-rans that have provided us with the moments of the World Cup that captured our hearts and attention.
More than that, they’ve reminded us what rugby league is really all about.
It’s about mateship, unity and inclusion. About getting back up when you’re knocked down and celebrating the underdog. The scoreboard doesn’t matter: every game is an achievement to be celebrated.
And so, with that in mind, it doesn’t matter who wins the final. It’ll be an enthralling match no doubt, but the outcome is irrelevant to the real result of this World Cup.
Because thanks to the little guys, rugby league is truly the real winner.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
even if YLL is not real, sure gets you lot into a lather. Perhaps its a parody alias to counter the many multiple aliases of the union dude
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Sheesh Zac Jones you can talk mr multiple aliases
Terry Tavita
Guest
he stumbles upon the final, albeit by accident, last night then talks about a match that happened a week ago?..bs
Crosscoder
Roar Guru
Zac One thing for sure we've established one and the same person , with all your aliases/ bitter anti rl comments.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
I thought it was a great end to the tournament & lets hope the likes of NZ & England, for a start, get be more consistent in their challenge to the Kangaroos. Because as we have seen with their dominance, it is having an effect on crowds & though Aussies like a winner they also like a challenge as they have so many sports they can follow on the Intl stage. But well done England, you actually should have won that game!
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Well it ain't going to stop RLWC2021, so why don't you just follow something you like? It's as though intl RL massacred your family or something. Just bizarre all this angst.
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Just a heads up, if you read the above by camperwells & Funbus, you probably wonder why such angst against a sport & why those who don't like it bother to even waste their time. This is in reality one person who has multiple aliases, so you'll see this often on threads involving the intl development of our sport. It's a mixture of jealousy, fear, ignorance, pathetic lifestyle etc. So hope you enjoy & contribute regardless.
Zac Jones
Roar Rookie
Haha an American just happen to stumble upon an Aussie sports forum! Ive seen it all! Its funny how these blokes have connections with Rugby League on here! First it was a Canadian who has adopted the Wolfpack, 2nd it was the grandson of the original South African Rugby League CEO and now this! Surely its not the same person haha
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
FunBus is Camberwells who is...... The bloke is running out of names. I just wonder if he uses the same password?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
tell the King of Tonga that? Tell the Tongan community in NZ they should all be flogged for having national pride in their heritage. Do you really make all these aliases just to league bash?
Cathar Treize
Roar Guru
Ah the November creations of one poster has now moved into December. How many aliases do you have now? Disturbing..
YankLeagueLover
Guest
I live in the USA, and stumbled upon the Rugby League World Cup finals through Fox Match Pass while looking for a place to watch the preliminaries of Soccer's World Cup, and it has been a revelation! I've seen what I assume to be Rugby Union play before and found it interesting, but as a Yank, if you aren't paying a sport channel to watch, you're not going to see much of anything about rugby. In fact I had to dig deep and google the heck out of the Union/League split, and go to youtube to understand the rules of the game, but now having watched most of the lead-up matches of the League World Cup, I am totally hooked! The speed of play, the athleticism, the generally good sportsmanship on display are amazing! I'm talking Rugby League up to anyone who will listen, and I'm planning on being a fan into the future. I'm not quite sure what would make Rugby League more popular in the USA, but maybe playing the last 10 minutes of the Tonga/England match over and over on ESPN would be a start. That was an amazing display of heart on the side of Tonga, and of solid undeniable talent on the side of England!
eagleJack
Roar Guru
He’s about 0/16 since I’ve followed his posts. But hey betting against him has made my wallet very happy. So keep the tips coming Republican!
Wobblies
Guest
The lowest of the "world cups" right up there with the curling world cup. Barely rates on aq global scale, Aust get 22000 at a home semi, its a joke
Johnno
Guest
The world cup has been a good success, and any rugby league fans who just cares about the NRL and not other forms of rugby league should hang there head in shame and quit following the game, we don't need sydney and brisbane passionate centric fans only for state of origin and NRL, this type of fan is insular and not progressive, so your rights are non existent in your narrow minded club passionate fan view. International test footy is the way forward i hope it takes over more and more and die hard passionate NRL fans and state of origin fans get undermined and ignored as they don't see the bigger picture(kinda like the No voters in SSM I'm glad there voice got bulldozed to now it's time the NRL and state of origin fans get bulldozed as well as they hold the game back with there small minded small world ways). Test footy is the long term solution to rugby league and more fans must embrace and will, and how they will is by having more test footy played and stuff like european championships and pacific cups and Lions GB tours, 2017 has been a huge success. And keep the loose eligibility rules for test footy.
Jimmmy
Guest
You just don’t give up republican. I am really surprised someone predicting the KIWIs would win it has now taken up the Great Britain banner. Come on you know the Aussies, will be too good , tip the Aussies, it will improve your tipping record considerably.
Oingo Boingo
Guest
Genghis Khant
Peter Phelps
Guest
you clearly live in the union dominated south. If you lived anywhere around the M62 corridor then you would most certainly have heard of it.
Peter Phelps
Guest
Noooo, just rugby league fans enjoying their sport.
Peter Phelps
Guest
People have been saying that watching soccor is like watching paint dry but not everyone agrees.