Rugby league in the USA: touring heroes, fights and a Vegas residency

Will the NRL’s new 10-season deal in Las Vegas help revive the colourful but fractured US rugby league scene?

By Gavin Willacy for No Helmets Required

They were hanging off the rafters and window ledges. They were standing on rooftops and perched along precarious walls: Sydney Cricket Ground was overflowing. More than 65,000 people were inside and another 5,000 were locked out, scrambling for vantage points. But this was no Origin decider. Seventy years ago this week, the SCG was packed out for the visit of the American All Stars, a team of college football players who had no knowledge of rugby league just a month before.

Three days later, to mark the Queen’s coronation, another 32,554 fans attended the SCG to watch the Americans score 41 points against a New South Wales side featuring Clive Churchill, Keith Holman, Noel Pidding and Harry Wells, courtesy of a generous display of defending and refereeing (albeit the Blues heaped on 62 points themselves). American half-back Gary Kerkorian, a Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback the previous season, scored all 13 of his kicks at goal that week. The future looked exhilarating.