‘We’re big enough for Vegas’: Robinson believes NRL deserves to be exported

Standing on the edge of the playing surface, in the stadium that hosted the Super Bowl less than three weeks ago, Trent Robinson feels rugby league isn’t out of place.

“Getting the time to spend in Los Angeles, but then coming here and seeing 50,000 rugby league fans descend on Las Vegas from our little game back home, [I am] really proud,” Robinson said in his pre-game press conference inside Allegiant Stadium.

“To [ARLC chairman] Peter [V’landys] and the NRL, it’s really visionary around what’s possible and where we want to take our game. We’re really proud of it, but then also to say ‘No, no, we’re big enough for Las Vegas.

“[To] set about a dream and then be one of the first teams to come here, we’re really proud and privileged to be here.”

The double-header on Saturday [US time] marks the first time competition points will be earned outside of Australia and New Zealand. The matches received a boost when South Sydney’s Cody Walker was declared fit after overcoming the calf niggle that kept him out of the All Stars, while Manly recruit Luke Brooks is also a certain starter after overcoming a lower leg issue.

There are hopes a crowd of up to 50,000 could attend the historic event after about 40,000 tickets were sold.

The Manly Sea Eagles warm up during an NRL captain’s run at Allegiant Stadium.

The enormity of the occasion wasn’t lost on premiership-winning coach Robinson, who felt the World Club Challenge could be held in the United States in future years.

“That’s the thing that can’t be understated. I’ve lived overseas and lived in places that love their football and love sports other than rugby league,” said Robinson, whose side takes on Brisbane in the second game.

“For the most part, people don’t care about rugby league [in] the majority of the population around the world.

“What Peter mainly, with the support of a lot of people around him have said is, ‘No, no, we’re going to make sure that those people start hearing the name rugby league, they’re gonna start thinking about it.

“They’re going to start seeing it in their own backyard and we’re going to dare to make this game bigger.

“That’s the sense of coming here. It makes us really proud of being rugby league people. We’re proud of our game. This isn’t a marketing exercise about something where we want to grow something, a brand.

“We think what they do on that pitch is amazing. We think that when they see what we do out there, that it’s really, really special. People can watch it and say ‘No, no, I love that sport. I love what they do.’

“We’re at the extreme end of team sports and we’re ready to export that. Tip of the cap to those guys.”

Rabbitohs coach Jason Demetriou said Walker’s inclusion was a boost for the side.

“He’s a world-class player,” Demetriou said. “Really happy that he was able to get the training done in San Diego. That was important for his prep, to be able to have a full week of training going into round one. It’s got him in a good headspace and the team will benefit from that for sure.”

Adrian Proszenko’s trip to Las Vegas was funded by the NRL.

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