David EdwardsThe Top 5 Heroes of the RLWC 2008
October 28th 2008 23:17
SportingMind loves nothing more than writing about the forgotten heroes of rugby league. With the media's gaze firmly upon Australia and New Zealand, there is little reporting done on the real characters of this year's Rugby League World Cup. The following five players are heroes in their own countries, for obvious reasons. While you may think that they are nothing more than opportunistic expats, trying to claim an international guernsey, SportingMind instead sees them for the patriots that they are - true rugby league heroes.
5) Neville Peters, Tongan Second-Rower. Peters's grandfather, Peter, once rented some land as a foreigner under Queen Salote Tupou III, in an attempt to expand his Australian-owned beef company into the Pacific. It is worth pointing out that his company eventually based itself in Tonga and now holds a monopoly over the Tongan meat market.
Peter Peters has been credited for strengthening Aussie-Tongan relations. Incidentally, he is responsible for introducing "It's a deadset sausage sizzle here, boys!" into the Aussie/ Tongan vernacular - a reference to a gathering/party at which there is a heavy ratio of men to women.
4) Gene Wabo, PNG Centre. In 2004, Wabo's father ran a failed campaign for election to the Romanian Senate. As an ex-member of the party Partidul Noua Generatic, better known as PNG, Wabo Snr wrote this acronym on his in-flight migration card during a short trip to Australia in 2005, with his 19-year old son, Gene.
As it were, the customs officer at Sydney Airport was a close relative of Kumuls coach Adrian Lam. The officer mistook this political acronym for that of the PNG national rugby league team, and gently enquired as to whether he had played football before? Incapable of English, Wabo Snr replied "Yes". One thing led to another, and before long Wabo's son Gene was introduced to the game of rugby league, which he obviously took a shine to.
Wabo has become a cult hero since landing in Australia for this World Cup, with Ray Warren coining the catch-phrase: "It's Wabo, its the vibe...", a play on words from the popular Aussie movie, The Castle.
3) Terry Barnsworth, Halfback and Captain, Samoa. Barnsworth's opportunistic rise to the top of Samoan rugby is a sordid yet fabulous tale. At home in Britain, watching hardcore porn on his laptop, Barnsworth noticed that the lead actress was wearing a traditional Samoan Ula Nifo - a form of necklace. Inspired, he moved to Samoa soon after to undertake a postgraduate course in jewellery at the National University of Samoa. Soon, Barnsworth became incredibly successful, eventually running his own company, offering hundreds of jobs to otherwise unemployable Samoans and thus boosting Samoa's economy. Along the way, it came up in conversation that he could play rugby league to a reasonable competency. Five minutes later he was named captain, coach and halfback.
2) Steve Baker, Fullback, Fiji. Baker's position as custodian is warranted through form, yet his opportunity came as a result of history. In 1867, whilst undetaking missionary work, the Rev. Thomas Baker was killed and devoured by cannibals in the tiny village of Nabutautau. Several apologies have been offered by the Fijians, eventually burying the hatchet by naming Baker's relative at fullback for the '08 World Cup.
1) Geoff Barrett, Hooker, Scotland. Barrett, a Kiwi, was selected at dummy-half for this World Cup due to his uncanny ability to recite lines from the movie Braveheart. As a result, his nickname on the field is Willie Wallace. His style of play is as fearless as Wallace himself, with his kamikaze runs often drawing comparison to the famed patriot.
These are the patriots of the Rugby League World Cup. The media may ignore them, but SportingMind cannot. They are the lifeblood of this sport.
-SportingMind
Another try to the Tongans..
5) Neville Peters, Tongan Second-Rower. Peters's grandfather, Peter, once rented some land as a foreigner under Queen Salote Tupou III, in an attempt to expand his Australian-owned beef company into the Pacific. It is worth pointing out that his company eventually based itself in Tonga and now holds a monopoly over the Tongan meat market.
Peter Peters has been credited for strengthening Aussie-Tongan relations. Incidentally, he is responsible for introducing "It's a deadset sausage sizzle here, boys!" into the Aussie/ Tongan vernacular - a reference to a gathering/party at which there is a heavy ratio of men to women.
"It's a deadset sausage-fest!!"...
4) Gene Wabo, PNG Centre. In 2004, Wabo's father ran a failed campaign for election to the Romanian Senate. As an ex-member of the party Partidul Noua Generatic, better known as PNG, Wabo Snr wrote this acronym on his in-flight migration card during a short trip to Australia in 2005, with his 19-year old son, Gene.
As it were, the customs officer at Sydney Airport was a close relative of Kumuls coach Adrian Lam. The officer mistook this political acronym for that of the PNG national rugby league team, and gently enquired as to whether he had played football before? Incapable of English, Wabo Snr replied "Yes". One thing led to another, and before long Wabo's son Gene was introduced to the game of rugby league, which he obviously took a shine to.
Wabo has become a cult hero since landing in Australia for this World Cup, with Ray Warren coining the catch-phrase: "It's Wabo, its the vibe...", a play on words from the popular Aussie movie, The Castle.
"Summing up, it's the Constitution, it's Wabo, it's the vibe..."
3) Terry Barnsworth, Halfback and Captain, Samoa. Barnsworth's opportunistic rise to the top of Samoan rugby is a sordid yet fabulous tale. At home in Britain, watching hardcore porn on his laptop, Barnsworth noticed that the lead actress was wearing a traditional Samoan Ula Nifo - a form of necklace. Inspired, he moved to Samoa soon after to undertake a postgraduate course in jewellery at the National University of Samoa. Soon, Barnsworth became incredibly successful, eventually running his own company, offering hundreds of jobs to otherwise unemployable Samoans and thus boosting Samoa's economy. Along the way, it came up in conversation that he could play rugby league to a reasonable competency. Five minutes later he was named captain, coach and halfback.
Some of Barnsworth's best work.
2) Steve Baker, Fullback, Fiji. Baker's position as custodian is warranted through form, yet his opportunity came as a result of history. In 1867, whilst undetaking missionary work, the Rev. Thomas Baker was killed and devoured by cannibals in the tiny village of Nabutautau. Several apologies have been offered by the Fijians, eventually burying the hatchet by naming Baker's relative at fullback for the '08 World Cup.
1) Geoff Barrett, Hooker, Scotland. Barrett, a Kiwi, was selected at dummy-half for this World Cup due to his uncanny ability to recite lines from the movie Braveheart. As a result, his nickname on the field is Willie Wallace. His style of play is as fearless as Wallace himself, with his kamikaze runs often drawing comparison to the famed patriot.
"they may take our lives, but they will never kick a 40/20!!!"
These are the patriots of the Rugby League World Cup. The media may ignore them, but SportingMind cannot. They are the lifeblood of this sport.
-SportingMind
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Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
Comment by Norm
Consumption Malfunction
Equal and Opposite
Arses and Elbows
Footy Power
Comment by David Edwards
Sporting Mind
I'd consider Barnsworth a self-made man. From porn addict to professional footy player.