Every now and then, you’ll get one of those stories about a famous actor or musician ‘supporting’ a particular sports team…
You know – Â Sylvester Stallone rocking up at Everton; Michael Jackson at Fulham – that kind of thing. You can’t help but feel that their heart isn’t really in it.
#MichaelJackson visiting Fulham FC stadium with Mr Al-Fayed in 1998/1999. United Kingdom. #mjfam pic.twitter.com/A9S3AKIxnk
— MyMJGuide BOOK (@MyMJGuide) March 7, 2015
Oscar-winning Russell Crowe, however, isn’t like this.
The co-owner of South Sydney Rabbitohs is very passionate about his team and the entire sport of Rugby League, for that matter. To give you a flavour of his dedication, he recently turned down the opportunity to present an Oscar in Los Angeles to watch his team play in St. Helens (much to the amusement of Jonny Vegas).
Vegas wore the top on last week's Graham Norton show to mark Crowe's visit to St Helens to watch the South Syd… http://t.co/yZk3mP2rXX
— In Comedy (@incomedy) March 13, 2015
Crowe’s interest in Rugby League has seen him launch ambitious plans to develop it on an international level. With help from James Packer, his casino-owning, billionaire friend, the actor has told BBC Sport that he wants to take the best teams from the sport’s two strongest leagues – England and Australia – and play a special tournament in Las Vegas.
“If everyone, the fans of those top four, meets in the middle between Australia and England in Vegas, and it’s all on and it’s blood on the line, then it’s really exciting,” he told the BBC.
On these shores, the sport is almost exclusively played in Lancashire and Yorkshire. Beyond these counties, it’s struggled behind other codes of football.
Although Australia shares the same passion for the sport, being on the other side of the world has meant that logistically, it’s been difficult for it to develop on an international level.
With the Super League and NRL both reportedly interested, there’s no saying that Crowe’s ambitious plans to join the two in front of a new audience in Las Vegas can’t take off.
