On an international level, rugby league may be eclipsed by its distant cousin, rugby union, when it comes to the numbers of countries who play the game seriously, but that does not detract from the intensity of competition or the national pride involved.

England, Ireland, Scotland, Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, France, Papua New Guinea, Samoa and Tonga competed in the 2008 World Cup, an occasion that was as much a celebration of the sport on an international level as it was a serious event and proof that the game is growing worldwide.

Historically, England and Australia have been the world's two leading rugby league playing nations, helped by having the strongest domestic leagues - the Super League and National Rugby League respectively but the popularity of the sport in those countries is nothing compared to the fixation the game breeds in the Oceania or Pacific Island nations.

Samoa, Tonga, Fiji and Papua New Guinea are simply obsessed with the sport helped by the fact many of their star players earn their living in the highly visible professional leagues overseas.

Papua New Guinea is the world's only nation that has rugby league as its national sport, introduced by Australian miners during the 1930s gold rush, while the game is also becoming increasingly popular in France thanks to the success of the Catalans Dragons in Super League.