The world gets smaller
Enjoyed reading all the comments from Marquette's post today about all the places where WA people live. (Where in the world are you?)
It has prompted me to share with you the story of the world's first transatlantic Rugby League team - the Toronto Wolfpack. I won't go into their story here. Check them out on their website www.torontowolfpack.com.
Rugby League is a game played in Australia, New Zealand, France, Papua New Guinea and a number of other "emerging" countries (of which Canada isn't one). But it was started in England in the late 1800s and for 100 years has been played in the UK almost exclusively in the North of England. It has always been a traditionally hard, blood and thunder game usually played in muddy conditions to a knowledgeable audience.
In recent years the game has tried to capture a bigger audience and Sky TV put on live games each week.
There is a French team in Super League, and another in League 1, but the latest addition to league 2 are the Toronto Wolfpack who will fly over to UK for away games, and (with the support of their sponsors) fly UK teams to Toronto for their home matches.
So far unbeaten in league and cup the Wolfpack have a target of reaching Super League as quickly as possible (2 or 3 years ?), and then consolidating their position.
They want to encourage American Football players who didn't quite make the grade to transfer their attentions to Rugby League. It is a bold idea.
It is, as you may imagine, a little tough for the older Rugby League followers here in UK to imagine Toronto sending a team over here to play one league game, then flying all the way back. But in reality, that is how life is now.
Toronto's first home match is on May 6th against Oxford. The visitors will be travelling 3,502 miles ((5,636 km) to fulfill the fixture, having a few sandwiches and a pint or two, then flying all the way back home again.
So what a small world it has become. I can converse with Kyle and Carson in Canada, William in Indonesia, Gaylene in New Zealand and Marquette in Oklahoma as if they were just down the road from me.
Who knows, in a couple of years time I might be getting on the plane myself to go and see Toronto Wolfpack v Warrington Wolves. It's not cold in Toronto, is it ?
Recent Comments
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I'm afraid we are too old to play it now, Thomas, but it is good to watch. No time-outs like American football, just 80 minutes of heavy physical and mental power. How's the business plan going after a month ?
It's going slow, because I'm working to many hours at my day job. I get to tired, but I still work at it a little every day. I'm anxious for the overtime to stop, so I can get on with this. Thank you for asking. ..how are you doing?
I'm retired and still can't work fast enough. So much to learn. Just have to keep working to the plan and things will fall into place. Best wishes, Chris
Thanks for sharing this bit of sport news Chris. I do love the game of Rugby, played league ball for 15 years while I was in the military. The sport is growing and I suspect we will see more teams being added on in the near future. I sure hope that you do get to fly to Toronto to watch a match there. I would be a once in a lifetime experience. Thanks again for your post.
Jerome
If you get chance to watch a super league rugby league game, I'm sure you would enjoy it. Especially if Warrington Wolves are playing. What is league ball - American football at league level ?
Isn't is amazing that international sport is leading the way to international commerce...in America the NFL and the NBA are making concerted efforts to place teams in Europe and China, among other countries and continents...American colleges have rugby "clubs" and play in loosely confederated "leagues"...and there are actually American football teams in Poland, Germany, China, Japan and many other countries...and, of course, in America, at least, we are aware of the NBA;s efforts to internationalize its brand...so I find it not only amazing, but ironic that it is and WILL BE sport that opens doors to civility and perhaps even some kind of peace on our planet...
Arthur
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Thanks, and they can have a go.