I'm a British rugby union expert and I went to my first State of Origin game: Here's everything I learnt about the most brutal rivalry in sport... and why we need to bring it to the UK

[u/lovely-lemur7295]

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/nrl/article-13575023/State-Origin-British-rugby-union-expert-verdict.html?ito=social-reddit

[u/thankyoupancake]

Before the mayhem began, they played a tune inside the MCG which perfectly set the tone for what was to follow – ‘Let’s go to war’. It summed up the appeal of this gladiatorial blockbuster.

For this State of Origin first-timer; the event did not disappoint. It is a wild ride of a viewing experience. As the rugby union correspondent of the UK Daily Mail, it was an irresistible detour between England matches in Tokyo and New Zealand. I had watched on television several times in the past, but never witnessed a match first-hand. It was truly epic.

In Melbourne, there wasn’t much to give away that the city was due to host a showpiece fixture in the sporting calendar in this part of the world. One billboard on the way in from the airport was about the only give-away. As a mid-week match, supporters had to time their journey south from the competing states, so there weren’t many around until game day.

When they showed up, Queensland dominated. To the uninitiated, it felt like they were the popular choice and true superpower, with New South Wales – despite being the nearer state geographically – being stuck on the margins, eclipsed by a maroon army.

As a Brit, the thought occurred that if Origin features so much on-field aggravation and conflict, maybe it would be the same in the stands and the streets nearby. Would there be crowd trouble? There was no sign of any problems at all. There was banter, but that was it. Maybe that’s because alcohol consumption is less extreme than it is at major sport in our country.

It was interesting to note how much mixing of fans took place around the city. There would be groups of friends in rival colours, or couples with one in blue and one in maroon. It seemed relatively harmonious. Another eye-catching factor was the demographic; not just young men but all age groups, male and female, and an ethnically diverse gathering. It was an indication of how Origin seemingly captures all areas of Australian society.

When the teams were announced before kick-off, it was amusing to hear the soundtrack of boos. Nobody appeared to be cheering. It was as if all energy was used to taunt the opposition rather than acclaim their own players and coaches. Billy Slater received by far the biggest tirade of negativity from the stands, which is presumably a reflection of his high standing in the game, making him a favourite target; a pantomime villain.

The fact the game was taking place in Melbourne shows that the NRL are engaged in an expansion campaign. In the UK, rugby league is restricted to a narrow northern corridor. We would have a clash between, say, Wigan and Leeds at Wembley, and it would generate a mass migration to the capital, but there is not the same feel of a mega event.

[u/thankyoupancake → u/thankyoupancake]

Origin is not well known in the UK, outside the league strongholds. It doesn’t really register with the wider public. But those who see it find it a stunning, primal spectacle. It’s just so tough, so overtly aggressive. League is like that, but when these quality teams collide it is ramped up to the max as a demonstration of just-about legitimate violence.

This game was on the edge but didn’t often go over-board. Two years ago, a group of us watched one game while in Sydney and wondered how there weren’t fatalities. Within the first 10 minutes, there were just so many high shots leading to concussions and players being carried off, not moving. It was savage.

The MCG encounter had some flashpoints though and the reaction to them is telling. The crowd love it. There was no need for the guy on the tannoy to encourage some noise – as he regularly had to do – when it all started kicking off. One scrap early in the second half led to tunes being played in tribute; ‘I’m about to lose control and I think I like it’, followed by ‘you’ve got to fight for your right to party’. Physicality and confrontation is celebrated. Why not?

It brought to mind a previous visit in 2013 when the-then captain of New South Wales committed so many offences in quick succession that – as an outsider, unfamiliar with the event – it felt like he would have to be arrested, let alone sent off. Instead, from memory, he escaped any on-field action at all and it was speculated that he might be put on report. Might. Astonishing.

That in turn led to an agonised debate about violence in the game and a stark headline in Sydney: ‘NRL bans biff’. There was uproar. It was even raised in parliament. Clearly, Australians don’t take kindly to being told that they can’t fight!

There were times on Wednesday night where it seemed as if the ball wasn’t needed. Just let them all smash each other – never mind the scoreboard. There was such a desire to make statement shots, whether or not the victim was in possession at the time. The antagonists and wind-up merchants are clearly adored as much as the supreme athletes and creative masters.

What is clear to a foreign visitor is that these matches matter so much. Every year, it grips large swathes of the host country.

The state-versus-state rivalry is something we don’t have an equivalent of back at home. People care more about inter-city sporting combat; such as when teams from Manchester and Liverpool clash in football (soccer). Cricket is based on counties and there is a real edge when Lancashire and Yorkshire face each other, but it is nothing like this.

Origin feels on one hand like a ‘derby’, such is the familiarity and tension between the sides, but also like international sport, given the enormous scale of it and the mass-market interest. In league, it is undoubtedly the greatest show of all – utterly over-shadowing any World Cup Final.

There were 90,000 people at the MCG, on a Wednesday night, many of whom had travelled from a long way away to be there. That’s big-time. It was grand and glitzy, from the light show before kick-off to the super skills on display throughout, against a backdrop of endless, wall-to-wall advertising. But many tickets were a bargain, so organisers are clearly trying to ensure it remains an event for the masses. Good on them for that.

All in all, as a passing visitor, this was a bucket-list occasion to savour. It is ferociously compelling. Next time, never mind Melbourne or Perth or elsewhere in Australia, look north and bring a game to London or Manchester. We’ll take it and learn to love it too.

[u/Zahliamischa → u/thankyoupancake]

Thanks. Fuck giving the Daily Fail clicks. Good read.

[u/furiousmadgeorge → u/Zahliamischa]

Absolute scum paper but their sport is, I hate to say, pretty good.

[u/wayneslittlehead]

As far as I’m aware the chairman is keen on taking it to the US and NZ. Hasn’t been any talk of it going to the UK which is a shame because it would garner the largest audience there.

[u/FlagmantlePARRAdise → u/wayneslittlehead]

NZ would sell out with ease. USA not so much.

[u/HandwrittenHysteria → u/wayneslittlehead]

Such a dumb move if so. Honestly, they could sell out Old Trafford or the Etihad 2x over if they brought it to the UK I reckon

[u/JohnnyMailman → u/HandwrittenHysteria]

State of origin on at 6am in Australia and jetlagging the shit out of the players so they can't back up the same week, probably wouldn't even be right for the week after, dunno if you thought that one through practically

[u/StevenuranSmithusamy → u/JohnnyMailman]

It'd have to be an idea for the year end origin series like a few people have talked about to work ok imo

And there are premier league games at 12pm that are prime time over here so that could work in theory

[u/GroundFast7793 → u/JohnnyMailman]

Could take a few club games that same week. Magic round in the UK.

[u/-Owlette- → u/GroundFast7793]

I'll take magic round in the UK over another "home" game against the Broncos at Suncorp any day!

[u/cressidasmunch → u/HandwrittenHysteria]

Imagining an 11am Wednesday morning UK time kick off for Origin

[u/HandwrittenHysteria → u/cressidasmunch]

Wetherspoons will be open, it’ll be fine

[u/cymonster → u/HandwrittenHysteria]

Wembley would be the best bet for the stadium. Old Trafford is falling down

[u/HandwrittenHysteria → u/cymonster]

Except all the league fans are in the north west. It’s bad enough we have to travel all the way to our shithole capital for the challenge cup final!

[u/Pretty_Schedule4435 → u/HandwrittenHysteria]

Are you telling me there are no League fans in Yorkshire (North East) and remember that is the birhplace of League.

[u/HandwrittenHysteria → u/Pretty_Schedule4435]

Sorry, what I should’ve said is all the league fans are on the M62 motorway

[u/Pretty_Schedule4435 → u/HandwrittenHysteria]

You,r forgiven, wouldn't expect anything else from a Lancastrian 😉

[u/Fixxdogg → u/wayneslittlehead]

I agree. So many union fans converting to league in aus I think the same could happen in the UK. The US dgaf about anything else but the own sports

[u/loolem → u/Fixxdogg]

Also the establishment don’t care about the US beyond the $$. Get real fans into it and watch what happens when it grows

[u/Rocko604 → u/Fixxdogg]

I’m Canadian, Origin is on my bucket list, and, as a union player up here, has even surpassed seeing a Bledisloe Cup match. That being said I hate the US just arbitrarily being mentioned for big events such as Origin simply because it’s the US. It would be a straight up cash grab, given there being minimal interest in League over here.

US can host “non-US sports” events very well, Copa America and T20 World Cup this year, FIFA World Cup in 26, and the Rugby World Cup in 31 but those are huge events. A one-off match such as Origin would feel very forced.

[u/boyblueau → u/wayneslittlehead]

I'm annoyed that the article doesn't actually interact with the expansion to Vegas at all. Would have been a perfect opportunity to show that the yanks don't and never will understand league, when there's already an audience that loves it in England. Sure the US gambling market has much more potential but there's still billions in the UK market too.

[u/thankyoupancake]

Call me a sycophantic, beta cuck, but I love hearing what ppl from outside my little place in the world think of Rugby League and origin. Unfortunately this is from the daily mail so it’s gross asf.

[u/jarjoura → u/thankyoupancake]

FWIW, American here, and got pulled in after you brought the game to Vegas. Had no idea there was a difference and fell in love with the game. Now I’m trying to get my friends into it. It’s a bit tough because I have to stream the games and you’re not going to find it played at any bar. 🤘🏼

[u/thankyoupancake → u/jarjoura]

Doing the lords work (and clearly a man of great taste)

[u/rambo_ronnie_87 → u/jarjoura]

What made you pick the Roosters to support?

[u/jarjoura → u/rambo_ronnie_87]

Honestly, while waiting in line to grab a jersey, most fans were wearing Broncos and so that was going to be my pick. There was one lone guy in front of me who helped explain the rules of League and he was sporting Roosters. So when I got to the counter, I decided to grab that instead.

They ended up winning the game and so it was an easy pick.

[u/Aussie18-1998 → u/jarjoura]

That's as good a reason as any. Great stuff. The game has so much potential. I honestly believe it is the best in the world. It puts so many sports to shame, including Union and Gridiron. It's such a shame it can't quite catch on outside of Aus.

[u/Fuzzybricker → u/jarjoura]

Very good decision! Now we've got to get you out here for a game at the Sydney Football Stadium and a swim at Bondi Beach!

[u/TommyToyotama → u/rambo_ronnie_87]

He really gravitated to Leniu /s

[u/choruselectricity → u/jarjoura]

Legend

[u/I_Like_Vitamins → u/thankyoupancake]

Thank you pancuck.

[u/JoeyJoJunior → u/thankyoupancake]

Its a weird feeling hey, I hate that I want be like 'hey notice us hey notice us'

[u/redmusic1]

The only way they could do this mid season and not derail the comp would be to literally pause the comp for 2-3 weeks, and 9 and FOX are never going for that.

[u/thomasjford]

I’m UK and not interested in rugby here but spent time in Oz 20+ years ago so have mates there and in NZ so love some NRL because of them. It’s great, and far more entertaining than Union to me!

[u/Ok-Personality-3403]

Could they make the headline a little bit longer holy shit

[u/Monkey_Pirate_Lord]

Billy Slater received by far the biggest tirade of negativity from the stands, which is presumably a reflection of his high standing in the game

lol

[u/ThunderShark97 → u/Monkey_Pirate_Lord]

Yeah bloke must have been surrounded by blues fans as where I was Billy definitely got the biggest cheer.

[u/Neither_Ad_2960 → u/ThunderShark97]

Why are people cheering someone who actively cheated the comp?

[u/Xerxes65 → u/Neither_Ad_2960]

Cuz he was awesome at it and us league fans aren’t known for our fair and moderate opinions

[u/Beneficial-Lemon-427 → u/Monkey_Pirate_Lord]

You have to jump quite high to stand on someone's face to be fair.

[u/RidingtheRoad → u/Monkey_Pirate_Lord]

I thought Billy would be a hero down south.

[u/FlagmantlePARRAdise]

I don't think this guy understands that we don't have a feral sport fan (soccer) culture in Australia. Most people apart from a couple of morons know its just a game and will gladly have beer and some banter with an opposition fan.

Soccer culture in European and South American countries is piss poor and they have to separate fans and have one fanbase leave 10 minutes before the other to stop fights. This culture seeps into other sports in these countries but soccer is absolutely the worst.

Which sport has the most ferals in Australia? You guessed it. Soccer. There is something seriously wrong with the fan culture in soccer. Whens the last time fans stormed the pitch and assualted refereess and players with flares at an NRL game? It's like the game is so boring the fans start being ferals and starting fights.

[u/RidingtheRoad → u/FlagmantlePARRAdise]

All I can think of is nothing really happens in a game of soccer.

The crowds in league and probably AFL are pretty friendly. There's always the occasional nutjob.

[u/NoMoreChillies → u/FlagmantlePARRAdise]

The game is so boring they bring drums and sing songs to entertain themselves

[u/jarjoura → u/FlagmantlePARRAdise]

I remember visiting Mexico City one year and in their capital square they had enormous screen tvs showing the game to a crowd of several thousands. You’d think the president was about to speak or something. 🤪

[u/bigbadwofl]

The poms would love it. Make it happen

[u/Appropriate_Shock673 → u/bigbadwofl]

I would sell my first born for a ticket ngl

[u/One-Organization3180]

I’m a Wigan fan living in Brisbane I have been watching origin from day dot it would be a success in uk they used to do the clash of codes Lancashire v Yorkshire but no where near as good as as origin best game in the world

[u/Jag-Stang96]

Origin is primal. You see, it's state against state and mate against mate. Our Civil War rages for 3 weeks a year, forever.

[u/RidingtheRoad → u/Jag-Stang96]

That's how I explain it to overseas people...Australia has never had a civil war, so we stage a battle 3 times a year. North against the South.

[u/the_orange_president]

Yeah it’s daily mail but tbh I enjoyed reading this

[u/teasizzle]

I love Origin, but the last thing I'd want to see is a game played over here. We can't even fill Wembley for a Cup final, nevermind a game between opposing regions on the otherside of the planet.

[u/passthesugar05]

As a Brit, the thought occurred that if Origin features so much on-field aggravation and conflict, maybe it would be the same in the stands and the streets nearby. Would there be crowd trouble? There was no sign of any problems at all. There was banter, but that was it. Maybe that’s because alcohol consumption is less extreme than it is at major sport in our country.

Geez what's going on over in the UK? I thought we were the reckless convict pissheads who love to punch on.

[u/BoysenberryAlive2838 → u/passthesugar05]

Soccer hooligans are much worse

[u/GroundFast7793 → u/BoysenberryAlive2838]

For those blokes, the game is just an excuse for getting pissed and being a dickhead in another city.

[u/Nomer77 → u/GroundFast7793]

What is tourism but getting drunk and sunburned in a central square and pissing in a fountain?

[u/Nomer77 → u/passthesugar05]

Europeans absolutely do not trust their football fans around drink.

Every European I've ever known who came to the states was blown away how easy it was to get beer at sporting events.  Many of their countries ban the sale of booze within a few hours of kickoff and/or in sight of the ground.  Even if they sell it, it might be reduced alcohol nonsense like the 2.0 ABV festbeer they have at Euro 2024 in Germany.  Even then they only did that out of respect for the local custom of Germany - the Bundesliga very much sells beer at matches.  

But I've taken a German (and Bavarian at that) friend to a baseball game where he thought he'd died and gone to heaven when he realized that there were ushers walking around who'd sell you beer directly at your seat.

[u/The1999Magpies]

I was at work so didnt see the beginning, but is it true Billy Slater was booed? I feel like I missed something so if anyone would care to enlighten me, please do so coz I cant believe that. Maybe said Rugby journo heard the name wrong, got it mixed up with Billaul Slagallen?

[u/lukas_81 → u/The1999Magpies]

Nah Slater got the loudest applause of anyone. Madge, who was introduced next, got booed ferociously, so maybe the writer confused the two

[u/thomasjford → u/lukas_81]

Madge Bishop?!!

[u/Worried-Category-761 → u/lukas_81]

I think the fans we're just asking Madge to move aside so they could see Bo'o.

[u/Lurks_in_the_cave → u/lukas_81]

Nah, mate, they were saying boo urns.

[u/One_Advertising2539 → u/Lurks_in_the_cave]

I was saying boo-urns

[u/Random0cassions]

Im also of the opinion that sending origin on a world tour will save rugby league. That is all

[u/Brisbanefella4000 → u/Random0cassions]

Does it need saving? It’s been growing. I think the investments need to made with long term strategy in mind. Look at the Melbourne Storm.. Union tried and failed with the rebels. They didn’t persist long enough. League just needs to keep making baby steps.

[u/Random0cassions → u/Brisbanefella4000]

Saving is too strong of a word but sending it to countries like England or France is definitely a fitting term, origin is rugby league best export. Use it to your advantage and build on a rotting fan bases that need it

[u/McPutinFace → u/Brisbanefella4000]

The pathway made available by having the Rebels operate allowed for quite a number of homegrown Victorian talents to come through in the relatively short amount of time they were around; at one point the Wallabies’ starting loose three were all native Victorians.

The Rebels’ problem was the fact that the brains trust in charge couldn’t run a peanut stand and just pissed money up the wall

[u/normalbehaviour86]

Taking origin to the UK would be great, other than the timezones of course. International audiences would love it, it has a bit of notoriety as such an intense game and I think that would draw a fair few people.

[u/Repulsive_Two8451 → u/normalbehaviour86]

I'd love to see it in the UK too. If they wanted the 8pm Australian timeslot, though, they'd be playing at 11am, as if it were an Under 10s Windsor Wolves game (a team which, incidentally, might've given the Maroons a run for their money last night).

[u/loolem → u/normalbehaviour86]

You’d have to play it in the morning and probably on a Sunday to make it work though in the uk.

[u/Smoove953]

Norf FC vs Souf FC

[u/Ok_Lawyer_4431]

I'm in the UK and have been a fan of union all my life but I've started watching NRL this year. I am supporting the Broncos. Weirdly, I haven't been watching Super League.

I'm not sure if it's the appeal of league, or the disillusionment with union that's turned me on to NRL but I've enjoyed it so far. The amount of chip kicks, bombs and grubber kicks to score tries just makes it so much better to watch than people burrowing away at rucks and trying to ram the ball over the line.

The sport seems to be on the up here, certainly at junior level. League teams are popping up for kids now in the summer.

[u/diodosdszosxisdi]

yeah there is a place where union and rugby league could co exist and even benefiit froom each other. catch union fans onto league and same for league fans for union.

[u/McPutinFace → u/diodosdszosxisdi]

Code wars are so 1990’s

[u/Lechuck91]

Pssst... It was even better years ago

[u/bundy554]

Simple - have your own - scousers v the mancs

[u/ClydeFrog76 → u/bundy554]

That’s north versus north. The rivalry is north versus south.

[u/bundy554 → u/ClydeFrog76]

Not enough talent in the south unfortunately - it is very much a northern game in England

[u/Maori187]

Does he know the Kiwis pumped a combined Origin side 30-0?

[u/dill1234]

Fuck offfff. Having it in Perth is a waste of time, let alone bringing it to Manchester

[u/Rusty_Coight]

Pfft. Puff piece by a Pom trying to be relevant. Origin will never be anything in the UK. Their tribalism leaves ours for dead.

[u/SanctuFaerie → u/Rusty_Coight]

They did have an Origin-like series for almost a century, the County Championship, but I guess people lost interest.

[u/delayedconfusion → u/Rusty_Coight]

If he didn't write an article about it, he would have had to fund his own trip/tickets.