I grew up in Dunedin.  We didn’t really have exposure to Rugby League, apart from the odd Australian game on the telly.  My brother reckons that I thought ‘dummy half’ was an actual player.  It seemed like an odd game- no lineouts, all that kicking. But over the years that all changed-  particularly  through the Kiwi teams of the 1980s and early 90s. The Tamatis, Mark Graham, James Leuluai, Clayton Friend, the list goes on.

However international rugby league has been through some strange times since then.  Something about the structure of the game means it is the poor relation to club play, right across the world.  Sometimes watching the Kiwis in the early years of this decade you had to wonder if they were that into it.  It felt like the selectors were scanning Sydney nightclubs for big guys who’s grandmothers once considered a trip to New Zealand to offer them a spot in the team. There have been internal squabbles and massive barnies between countries.  At times it looked like the whole thing might fall over.

It feels a bit better lately.  In terms of the Kiwis Stephen Kearney looks like he is instilling some pride and unity in the team. It helps that we won the World Cup of course.  In terms of competitions, we now have yet another format for international league. Kicking off  in the UK this weekend is the four nations, with us, Australia, England and France.  It feels like it should be us and the Aussies in the final.  A good guide to form will be this Sunday morning at 8am when we meet the Kangaroos in pool play ( if you can call it pool play with four teams).  When you scan the team lists the Aussies look like they should be all over us, and they were last time we met. But the memory of that World Cup win is not too far away.

So, get yourself some brekkie tomorrow morning, look out for your expat friends in the stands in London, and cheers on the lads, including that dummy-half fella, he’s everywhere man.