MANCHESTER – The Rock has delivered a powerful pre-game rev-up to Samoa ahead of the World Cup final against Australia with the Hollywood star motivating the team with a video message, telling them to do their Pacific nation proud.
WATCH THE ROCK’S SPEECH IN THE VIDEO AT THE TOP OF THE STORY
The 50-year-old former wrestler also known as Dwayne Johnson, who played college football in America at the University of Miami in the late 1990s, said he would love to be out there on the field ripping into the Kangaroos but joked “I’d probably get my ass kicked”.
“I am delivering this message with boundless love and boundless reverence and respect, and boundless pride for my boys,” he said in a video posted on Instagram to his millions of followers.
“My usos, the Toa Samoa rugby team. They are going to the men’s final of the Rugby League World Cup. This is a big deal, they are making history in the world of sports, in the world of rugby, this is the first time that our island, our country, our culture of Samoa has ever gone to the finals for any sport. They are making history and I could not be more proud of them, we could not be more proud of them.
“I’ve got goosebumps right now.
“If I was there with you guys on Saturday I’d put on a Toa Samoa and I would take that field and be running that rock with you guys.
(Photo by Pablo Cuadra/WireImage)
“My usos, I love you, I’m so proud of you. Take that field, make history and win.”
He said the Samoans should embrace the underdogs tag.
“This Saturday is the big game … I know you have got so much on your mind right now, pressure,” he said.
“Pressure, the pressure to deliver, the pressure to perform. You have the world watching and you have so much on your shoulders. Right now you are proud grandsons, proud sons, proud husbands, proud fathers, proud teammates, proud brothers, proud usos.
“I understand what it’s like to have pressure, I understand what it’s like to do stuff where the world is watching so a few things I always think about when it comes to scenarios like this.
“It happened when I was playing football, it happened when I was wrestling for some of the biggest wrestlemanias of all time, it happened in this crazy world of Hollywood.
“I know you got a lot of stuff on your mind. Number one is grit, there’s a term that you guys know, it is called ‘Fa’a Samoa’ and when I was growing up my grandfather, my grandmother and even my mum, still today we talk about grit.
(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images for RLWC)
“That is one of the many Samoan terms that I always embody because to me, my grandfather always taught me, yes ‘Fa’a Samoa’ is being proud of who you are, where you come from, what’s in your blood, what’s in your DNA, what’s deep in here – your mana. That’s the thing that separates us from everyone else, it is the grit, the drive, that force that you operate as if your backs are up against the wall and there is nowhere to go but ahead, but forwards.”
He added that legacy was the other factor they need to think about because “you guys are defining your legacy right here, right now”.
“History is watching, our ancestors are always watching. So when you take that field in Manchester, you have that grit and our DNA is just full of that Samoan pride and culture,” he said. “You think about that legacy and the legacy you guys wanted to find because there’s two sides to legacy. Number one is the side you’ve already made history, you’ve arrived.
“But the other side of the legacy, this is the special side, is when you take that field in Manchester, you leave it all out on the field and you win.”
Samoan hooker Fa’amanu Brown has been ruled out of the team to play Australia after he clashed heads with teammate Oregon Kaufusi.
Dolphins-bound former Cowboys forward Connelly Lemuelu has been brought into the team.
Penrith forward Spencer Leniu has been cleared after carrying a shoulder injury.
Samoan team: 1 Joseph Suaali’i, 2 Taylan May, 4 Stephen Crichton, 5 Brian To’o, 6 Jarome Luai, 7 Anthony Milford, 8 Josh Papali’i, 10 Junior Paulo, 11 Ligi Sao, 12 Jaydn Su’A, 15 Royce Hunt, 16 Spencer Leniu, 17 Martin Taupau, 20 Chanel Harris-Tavita, 22 Kelma Tuilagi, 23 Oregon Kaufusi, 25 Tim Lafai, 26 Ken Sio, 27 Connelly Lemuelu
Crichton hoses down Indigenous idea
Kangaroos forward Angus Crichton has put the dampeners on the idea of an Indigenous team entering the Rugby League World Cup, declaring that the idea would be divisive for the sport in Australia.
The idea had been floated by incoming Indigenous All Stars coach Ronald Griffiths, but Crichton told Fox League that he wasn’t a fan.
“The way I see it, Indigenous Australia and white Australia – I don’t think we need to divide it,” he said. I want it to be integrated, I want everyone to get on as one,”
“If we’re having white Australia v black Australia then I feel like that’s just making the gap further apart. I love representing Australia with my indigenous brothers. So I feel like that would be a backward step in my opinion.”
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(Photo by Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Aussies on cusp of reclaiming top spot in World Rankings
The long-running saga over the rankings at the Rugby League World Cup could be at an end, with International Rugby League preparing to announce the latest update to the rankings.
Australia were aggrieved to lose their ownership of the top spot on the table, which they lost due to inactivity during the Covid-19 pandemic, but are likely to return to the top regardless of the result on Saturday afternoon (UK time) at Old Trafford.
New Zealand are currently top, by dint of performances in 2019’s international window and their midseason Test win over Tonga in Auckland.
The rankings are calculated on a rolling four-year basis, meaning that the results from the 2017 World Cup dropped off Australia’s record and caused a fall in their position. Now, with fixtures from the World Cup carrying the heaviest weight, it is likely that the Kangaroos will find themselves leapfrogging the Kiwis.
A potential issue might be that England, who did not face Australia or New Zealand, also defeated Samoa and played a 2021 Test against France that will have boosted their rankings.
The Jillaroos are likely to remain atop the Women’s rankings after going unbeaten through their tournament and have already defeated the Kiwi Ferns in the group stage, though a loss in the Final might make it close.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
But we do have the NRL and it is developing players for other countries as well as Australia. I’m not sure why you hate it so much, maybe your just a miserable person. Anyhoo, there’s nothing you can say that will ruin my enjoyment of the World Cup and the expectation of continued growth of international footy
eagleJack
Roar Guru
“It would appear NZs women are on the cusp of dominating in League as well as Union as have their men”. RLWC Women’s Final Australia 54 - New Zealand 4 You definitely have a knack of being wrong about everything Republican. It’s quite impressive.
sheek
Roar Guru
Succhi, My Gawd, where do you get your ideas from? Everyone gets a prize? That is so much baloney.....
sheek
Roar Guru
Brett Allen, How are other countries catching up when they are made up of Oz born or reared players who were made by the NRL? If we didn't have Australia, rugby league would have died decades ago. We hear all about the pride for Samoa. Where's the pride for Australia, the country that made these players? Pretending Oz players are actually from somewhere else because of some spurious heritage rule fails the pub test. It's mostly Australia A, B, C, D, E, etc.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
But that doesn’t apply to NZ, almost all of their players played their junior footy in NZ. As for Lebanon, they have 3 clubs who contributed 2 players to their national team for the WC. That’s a nice start and will continue to grow if given the necessary care. The Greek team had 8 players from its domestic league.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I did nothing of the sort
Aiden
Guest
It’s not really because they have their own thriving leagues in Argentina and virtually everyone plays football. Whereas the League WC have teams made up of NRL players who learned their craft in the NRL and their country of heritage (mostly not even their country of origin) barely play the game. I mean Lebanon did well. Come on. What … they have two teams or something?
Redcap
Roar Guru
I was referring to your comment a few weeks back comparing gay people to killers and pedophiles. I won't engage with you other than to point out that you're an extremist wackjob.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Bit melodramatic don’t you think ? I stand by my statement though, why kill the games golden goose ?
Redcap
Roar Guru
Oh, hello Brett. I've been expecting you to drop around and stone me to death. Where have you been?
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Yeah, kill the golden goose
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
Origin and international footy are completely separate entities and have different places in our game, no reason they can’t play both.
Redcap
Roar Guru
Finally, an idea I can get behind. Kill Origin!
Rellum
Roar Guru
Yes it is. So no need for them to play State of Origin
eagleJack
Roar Guru
Republican, it would have been easier just to say “all of my predictions were embarrassingly wrong and I truly hope you can all forgive me. I promise I will actually watch a game next time before commenting”. Not too hard, was it?
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
I think it’s more that other countries are catching up, which is fantastic.
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
That’s like saying that Argentina didn’t produce Lionel Messi because he lived in Spain from age 13 and was a product of Barcelona’s La Masia Academy. Of course NZ have produced their own players
Brett Allen
Roar Rookie
And that’s awesome for RL
JennyFromPenny
Guest
Yes we all recall your statement about letting the PI players play for their heritage country to leave the Kangaroo spots for Australians.
JennyFromPenny
Guest
They have. State of Origin.