Revealed: NRL’s plan to teach rugby league to 30,000 Americans — during the game

Russell Crowe on loop and comparisons with the NFL — This is how the NRL will teach many of the 40,000-plus crowd inside Allegiant Stadium what rugby league is all about.

David Riccio

@DaveRic1

less than 2 min read

March 2, 2024 - 6:00PM

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Russell Crowe’s role in educating America about rugby league will go to a whole new level inside Allegiant Stadium on Sunday.

The Hollywood star and owner of South Sydney will lead a “dummies guide’ to the NRL that will include the explanation of 26 rules, live during the game.

Crowe lent his voice to a promotional video that was released last month to promote the NRL doubleheader.

The “no helmets, no pads” commercial has been used to help explain the rules to American audiences being exposed to the sport for the first time.

A still from the explainer which will be shown in Las Vegas.

The commercial will be shown on the Allegiant Stadium jumbo screen prior to the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles clash, which will launch the season.

The NRL will also continue to teach many of the 40,000-plus crowd by using written explainers on the jumbo screen when there are specific decisions made by the referee.

Some of the 26 different rules that the NRL have prepared for explanation include: double movement, obstruction, offside, sin bin, incorrect play the ball and shoulder charge.

The NRL have also planned a video comparison of NRL and NFL players as part of the match preview.

Another still which will feature in the explainer.

In an interview with the New York Post, Fox League’s Matty Johns gave his view on what first-time US fans will be drawn too.

“For the uninitiated, the first thing that will strike them is the physicality, with no helmets or pads,’’ Johns said.

“The other thing that will really strike people will be the pace of the game, and the fatigue that eventually you’ll start to see set in during the second half.