The incredible growth and humble origins of international rugby league

The Pacific Test double header at Leichhardt Oval is a showcase of rugby league’s development over the past decade, and Fiji star Jayson Bukuya knows the impact it will continue to have on the smaller nations.

• ISSUE: Crisis averted as stars hint Lebanon won’t boycott

• DEADLINE: How new signings will affect your NRL club

Fiji used to rely on Spacemen.

They might not have wanted to, but they didn’t have a choice.

For the longest time, just scratching together a team to represent Fiji or Samoa or Tonga or Papua New Guinea was a wide-ranging mission to the farthest corners of rugby league.

The Tongans and Samoans had to draw players from the Ron Massey Cup, PNG were forced to bring them straight down from the Highlands and Fiji, more often than not, had to look to country footy – including, for the 2008 World Cup, to the Parkes Spacemen, who provided two players for a squad that inspired a generation.

Jayson Bukuya knows the importance of every Test match. Picture: Mark Kolbe

MORE NRL NEWS

CAMPO’S CORNER: HOW TEAM CHANGES WILL IMPACT GAME II

COACH WHISPERER: ‘I’M THIS CENTURY’S GREATEST COACH’

Cronulla forward Jayson Bukuya was part of that 2008 squad, who went all the way to the semi-finals and took on the might of Australia, a team easily forgotten by some but revered on the tiny island.

On Saturday, as part of the Pacific Test double header at Leichhardt Oval, Bukuya makes his Fijian return after five years away alongside two superstars he and the Spacemen helped create – Viliame Kikau and Suliasi Vunivalu.

“When you’re playing in the World Cup you’re not thinking about the impact it has on such a small nation.

“But hearing the boys tell their stories, tell you how you inspired them, it’s unbelievable.

“That’s what we’re trying to do now, inspire more young people from the small nation of Fiji to follow their dreams in the NRL.

Leichhardt Oval will showcase stacks of talent. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“When you put on the jersey you want to do the jersey honour, run out there with pride, because you’re not playing for a team, you’re playing for a whole nation.”

In the 11 years since that World Cup and the six years since the Pacific Tests became a regular fixture the international game has already come so far.

Those Parkes Spacemen – five-eighth Alipate Noilea and prop Semisi Tora – both had tournaments and careers to be proud of but the only way to take Test football to the masses was to get the best players in the world involved.

The double header will be packed full of top quality rugby league talent and across the ditch Tonga take on New Zealand in what is suddenly a clash of titans. Watching the cultural challenges alone is worth the price of admission.

Anthony Milford will lead the Samoan team. Picture: Phil Hillyard

But the true impact may not be felt for years – the ripples that are sent through the communities and compel the next generation to choose Samoan blue or Fijian white or the red, yellow and black of PNG over Australia’s green and gold.

Playing in these games, being around one’s own people, can unlock something inside that you might not even know was there.

“When they (new players) come into camp and they experience the culture and they learn about themselves, they go back and they’re prouder of who they are, not just on the field but off it,” said Kumul star James Segeyaro.

“And that gives them a sense of maturity as they further their lives and further their careers.

“There’s a lot of Papua New Guinean people in Australia and we want to make them more proud to represent their culture.”

The crew try to get their heads around the Blues selection policy for Origin II and ask if it’s a version of the Simpsons “Homermobile” plus Latrell Mitchell’s future and Matty goes to the movies.

“The end goal is to be a Tier 1 team, ask any player from any team in the Pacific and they want to be a Tier 1 team.

“It’s not only that, it’s representing your culture and where you’re from, finding that sense of belonging. It’s a big thing.

“You saw a glimpse of it in the World Cup. Eight million people were supporting us.”

For the first time, the mid-season Pacific Tests will form part of the Oceania Cup, which ensures regular matches for Tonga, Samoa, Fiji and Papua New Guinea for at least the next two years.

Suliasi Vunivalu will be a huge attraction for Fiji. Picture: Rohan Thompson

Not only that, there’s guaranteed showdowns with the big guns, Australia, New Zealand and Great Britain locked in as well.

And that’s just what the Pacific nations needs – big games and plenty of ‘em.

“We need to be playing Test matches, these kind of games against quality opposition,” said PNG forward Rhyse Martin.

“We’ve got Tests against New Zealand, Fiji and Great Britain. The big teams go on tours every second year and play four or five games, that’s what we need.

“Tonga’s been doing it really well, they’re getting everyone back and that’s what we want to do. There’s a lot more Kumuls coming out of the woodwork now.

“I’ve loved it ever since I made my debut, and if there were opportunities elsewhere I’m not sure if I would take them because I love the Kumuls.”

As Martin says, the equation is simple.

If there’s more games that means there’s more attention, more attention breeds more players and more players means the games get better.

It never would have happened without the Spacemen, but now there’s only stars.