Plus: Spain could join Tonga at the Rugby League World Cup in 2017; London is producing internationals; and a legend of the game should be recognisedBy Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required,part of the Guardian Sport NetworkRugby league fans have been through the mixer over the last month as the Rugby World Cup has evolved. We’ve felt amusement (when hubristic England lost to Wales), elation (enjoying some vastly more entertaining play-off matches than several of the dreary higher profile group games), or smugness (when Leeds and Wigan put on a magnificent Grand Final while England exited their tournament across town in a festival of flagellation). Last weekend,we could only applaud the glorious Rugby World Cup quarter-finals and sneak in the occasional comment along the lines of “that was rugby league, you know as the Europeans tumbled.How much credit league can occupy for the thrilling open rugby played by modern Zealand, and Australia,South Africa and, latterly, and Argentina is open for debate but there is certainly some influence in the southern hemisphere. The NRL’s entertainment factor forced Super Rugby to open up or give up on the commercial battle. That in turn has seen the southern hemisphere national teams appreciate that you can throw the ball around,dash deadly lines, put on nifty footwork, or score tries (as well as kicking goals) to rack up heaps of points.
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Source: theguardian.com