When England plays Greece on Saturday The end result might resemble a scorecard at the Cricket T20 World Cup.
Shaun Wane’s side scored an impressive 60 points in the opening game against a Samoan side drawn almost entirely from Australia’s National Rugby League (NRL).
So there could be tears against the Greek part-timers and hobbyists.
But whatever the numbers, rejoice that Greece are simply part of this World Cup.
You’re not just here as a sideshow. Their commitment offers hope for the future of international football.
The Greek rugby league is one The incredible story of a band of outlaws who beat the authorities and their opponents to qualify.
They had moments of joy – Nick Mougios’ slalom run to the line against France in the opening game was heartwarmingly good and one of the more magical attempts of the tournament.
And when we went to their camp, um Record a special podcast this week you could feel the thrill they have in their adventure.
Greece isn’t the only newcomer to this men’s tournament. Jamaica is on a similar journey of discovery and have loved celebrating their little moments of success – like Ben Jones Bishop’s try against New Zealand, despite a 68-6 win.
In 2017, Lebanon caused a sensation. Four years earlier, Scotland’s Braveheart’s caused an uproar. And Italy, Wales and Ireland are never too far from the limelight.
Among the established giants there are always a few minnow nations that add to the festival feel. Countries where rugby league normally inspires little passing interest suddenly come to the World Cup with fanfare.
For the most part, it’s the rules of heritage that allow these sites to claim their moment in history. There are dozens of players born in Australia and England who proudly represent the country of their parents and grandparents and not their country of birth.
That’s great, but not viable as a long-term plan.
Eventually this particular source of player talent will dry up. So, in order to get a world game, rugby league needs to invest more time and money in developing the domestic games in these smaller nations.
The value of this World Cup is that, for once, the game says it takes international development seriously.
The profile of a worldwide audience of millions and the finances generated by this tournament will help to promote these local leagues. A portion of the profits from this event will be reinvested into International Rugby League (IRL) development projects, we are promised.
It’s already happening in Jamaica. Their national champions Duhaney Park Red Sharks provide five players for the current roster. A sixth, Abevia McDonald, played for Hurricanes in Jamaica and has since signed with London Skolars.
He grew up a footballer and knew nothing about rugby league. But in an interview he reveals that he switched to rugby league because he was “immediately fascinated by the shape of the ball”.
Greece have lost to Samoa and France and have conceded 106 points at the World Cup so far
In the Greek camp there are other examples of men who only needed an introduction to the game to fall in love with it.
Aris Dardamanis, who plays for the Aris Eagles, told us he had no idea what a friend invited him to a training session 10 years ago. He was a lover of martial arts, volleyball and American football.
What he experienced in that first session was a heady mix of all his sporting passions and he was hooked. He now represents his country in rugby league.
This is another example that the more people are exposed to rugby league, the more men and women you will be drawn to play the game.
Show them and they will come.
Although banned in Greece until a few months ago, there are now 10 men’s teams and three women’s teams in and around Athens.
The funding and profile they get from the 2021 World Cup will go a long way in bringing the sport into schools, improving marketing and increasing the number of clubs and players.
Closer to home, the IRL and Rugby Football League also have a duty to ensure that development in Scotland, Wales and Ireland is adequately encouraged and funded.
That Galway tribesmen made a splash in the first rounds of the Challenge Cup this year, but apart from Ronan Michael there aren’t many Irish-born players playing at the highest level.
The Welsh interest in the game remains high and they have several homegrown players in their squad. But that’s nothing compared to the interest in Wales around the 1995 World Cup when Jonathan Davies and company made the headlines.
And Scotland go from World Cup to World Cup without making too much progress in producing homegrown talent.
This is not a criticism of the handful of dedicated and passionate people working hard to promote the sport in these countries. It’s the lack of support they’ve often experienced that is the crying shame.
Rugby league’s greatest players come primarily from a small group of towns in North West England and some states of Australia.
This restricted area is still capable of producing some amazing athletes with incredible powers that can entertain and amaze, as we’ve already seen over the past few weeks.
Imagine if this gene pool could be extended to just two or three more countries.
Everyone in rugby league has a role to play in promoting the spread of the game. These include above all the clubs in England and Australia, which can hardly see beyond their own backyard walls.
The hope is that as the 2025 World Cup begins in France, there will be players born in Greece, Jamaica, Italy, Scotland, Ireland and others tempted to pick up a rugby ball, inspired by the pioneers of that event.
And until then, we need to be talking about burgeoning national leagues in some of these minnow nations, not just the promise of what could be. Otherwise, the best intentions of RLWC2021 would have been in vain.
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