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Silvertails, talons in tatters
Zimmy Watt


Danielle Spencer, Russell Crowe and Peter Homes a Court watch the action at a recent South Sydney NRL clash.

In spite of taunts and inflammatory comments during the week from Manly co-owner Max Delmege - perhaps helped by them - South Sydney came from behind to defeat long-time rivals Manly 24-18 on Monday night (20 August). 12,087 mostly red-and-green supporters were at Telstra Stadium to witness the win which elevates Souths to 24 competition points and outright eighth position on the ladder. Many stayed back afterwards and joined in singing "Glory, glory, to South Sydney!"
In the lead-up to the game Delmege made the claim that Souths and not Manly deserved to be called "silvertails" - a swipe at the new cashed-up confidence building at Souths since Russell Crowe and Peter Holmes Court took ownership of the club.
Holmes Court fired back in a good old-fashioned war of words. "What tag has he given us - silvertails? The people of South Sydney have as high aspirations for themselves and their kids as the people from the gentrified suburbs of the north, and we're all about presenting rugby league players in the best possible light.
"Manly can try to shake off a decades-old tag of silvertails but trying to pass it off to South Sydney won't help them.
"The tag has negative connotations and suggests that you haven't done the hard yards that does not apply to South Sydney."
Souths trailed 18-6 at half-time, scoring three unanswered tries in the second period. Isaac Luke scored in the 50th minute, John Sutton two minutes later. Fetuli Talanoa's try came in the 72nd minute from a well-executed Ben Rogers kick and put Souths in front for the first time.
"It was an awesome second half," said coach Jason Taylor. "The boys were a bit rattled at half-time but we kept at it and things started to work for us. It was a great win."
Rabbitohs five-eighth Joe Williams, who kicked four goals in the game, is excited at the prospect of playing in the finals. "That's what you play for - the finals. But we can't get too excited, I guess, because we haven't played finals footy for so long."
The last word goes to Holmes Court, suggesting that Manly officials might like to watch coming episodes of South Side Story on the ABC. "You can call any club a silvertail," he quipped, "but there's only one club it will ever truly apply to!"

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South Sydney Rabbitohs. And yea, verily, it was written, in the future the poor will be rich, the rich will be poor, the meek shall inherit the earth and Souths will arrive at the stadium in freshly tailored Armani suits, led by a Hollywood film star.

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Friday nights Rabbitohs-Roosters blockbuster marks more than just the start of another NRL season.

It also marks an important handover. It is the night the Roosters will officially forfeit their crown as the NRLs lattes to cross-town rivals South Sydney.

We can no longer ignore the facts. These days, Souths are about as blue collar as an afternoon of croquet on Woolwich green. From the moment Holmes a Court and Crowe took over, this remarkable makeover has exploded. First, the team was fed organic vegies and prime-cut steaks from a quaint caravan at Erskineville Oval.

Then, it was the training ground that was turned from an occupational hazard to a boutique park complete with picket fence and theatrette. Most damning off all, Holmes a Court ordered bags of coffee and espresso machines when he moved into the Rabbitohs headquarters. Souths will arrive at ANZ Stadium tonight wearing Armani suits, which, the last time we checked, are not spotted all that often in Redfern.

In the meantime, The Roosters have seemingly gone out of their way to get down and dirty. They trained at Wentworth Park dog track, possibly the most run-down sporting venue in Sydney. They bought hard-heads like Willie Mason and Mark OMeley and lost glamour boy Craig Wing to you guessed it Souths. Last but not least they hired Brad Fittler as coach a Penrith lad who learned to walk in ugh boots.

No-one can bag the improvements Souths have made. But theyve come at a price the dreaded Lattes tag.

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The Hollywood star - who co-owns South Sydney Rabbitohs - has been successfully 'selling' the game to the Americans. Could he be the man give the game a higher profile on the world stage as well?
'The only issue I see with rugby coming to America is the fact that the US may not have enough room in its collective sporting heart for yet another exhilarating collision sport like rugby'

*Take a poll amongst your average Michiganders, asking them what they think about British sports, and you will tend to get the following answers

Soccer: Many Americans in Michigan regard our football as a wussy, limp-wristed, effeminate sport. They will ask you why the players dive and fake all the time and they will rail against the sport for being boring.

Cricket: Most of the time people wont have a clue what you are talking about. From veterinarians to school lecturers to my American friends, I cannot find a single person who comprehends what cricket is. When I ask Americans about Branston pickle I get a similar response.

Rugby: In terms of opinions, the people in and around Detroit seem the most positive about rugby. They see it (correctly) as a fluid and tough sport and marvel at the lack of body armour.

It is clear from this that in terms of public opinion, the British sport that is most capable of succeeding in the US is not actually football which has had millions pumped in to it with poor returns but rugby. Americans, and especially Detroiters, have an inbuilt respect for size and power something that is prevalent in rugby, the sporting equivalent of a heavy-duty truck with a gargantuan engine.

The only issue I see (and it is admittedly a huge issue) with rugby coming to America is the fact that the US may not have enough room in its collective sporting heart for yet another exhilarating collision sport like rugby. After all they already have American Football and ice hockey.

What rugby really needs is a Hollywood superstar who will come in and advocate the joys of the oval ball... step up Maximus Decimus Meridius, the saviour of Rome and, as it just so happens, Rugby League too. Thats right, Gladiator star Russell Crowe appeared on US the Tonight Show with Jay Leno on February 14 advocating the brilliance of Rugby League to anyone who would listen. And as it was the Tonight Show, that meant several million Americans watching Crowe, and being-spoon fed probably the best advert possible for Rugby League.

Russell told host Leno about the team that he co-owns 75% of - the South Sydney Rabbitohs - and then went on to talk about the various connections he has forged with the US, and how on hearing that the University of Michigans American Football coach Lloyd Carr used the Crowe film Cinderella Man to inspire his troops, he decided to give him a call.

After the initial confusion and disbelief that naturally comes with being told that Russell Crowe has called, the two got together with Crowe coming to watch the Michigan Wolverines play and Carr travelling in the opposite direction to train and talk to the Rabbitohs. It was a brilliant idea, that will go a long way to raising Rugby Leagues profile in the States.

Crowe even organised a Rugby League game in Florida between the South Sydney Rabbitohs and Super League champions Leeds Rhinos on January 26. The game was a less vaunted but still brilliantly executed Rugby League version of the NFLs game at Wembley and FA money grabber Richard Scudamores 39th-game proposals.

With his bulging rolodex full of Hollywood names, Crowe encouraged other actors to support the club, such as Scientology loon Tom Cruise and doddering toupee wearer Burt Reynolds.

Crowe is single-handedly dragging Rugby League into the US limelight. Want to increase rugbys profile? The answer is simple put Russell Crowe in charge of Rugby League.

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HE'S busy with his day job - on the set of State of Play - but being on the other side of the world doesn't mean Russell Crowe is missing out on watching his Bunnies go round this Easter.

The leading man is filming around Washington, DC while his beloved South Sydney had a slow start to the NRL season.

But Crowe's still in his team's corner, organising a special download of the game, with the help of club officials and one of the game's broadcasters Channel 9.

Still, his star pull is still effective from the northern hemisphere, with US rapper LL Cool J expected to be on the sidelines tonight in support of the red and green.

The music megastar was obviously introduced to the game - and the Rabbitohs - by Crowe.

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