Russell Crowe leads NRL promo video for Las Vegas matches

The voice of Hollywood actor Russell Crowe has been used to help draw more Americans to the game of rugby league ahead of the NRL’s foray into the US next month.
Crowe, 59, narrated a five-minute video which comprehensively explains the critical rules of rugby league to allow American sport fans to get a grasp on how the game works.
The Academy Award-winning actor for his role as Maximus Decimus Meridius in Gladiator is one of Australia’s most notable exports and will be a familiar face to American audiences.
The Manly Sea Eagles face off against the South Sydney Rabbitohs, the club co-owned by Crowe, before a clash between the Sydney Roosters and Brisbane Broncos in a double-header at Las Vegas’ 65,000-seat Allegiant Stadium on March 3.
The Manly-Souths game will take place at 6.30pm local time and 1.30pm AEDT while the Roosters-Broncos match begins at 8.30pm local time and 3.30pm AEDT.

[@satisfactory3368]

This video needs to be shown to the NRL refs edit* The bunker too lol

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

😂

[@devaperese55]

😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂😂 nice one

[@terihenri7230]

😂😂😂.. don't feel bad, NFL refs are just as bad

[@devaperese55]

Ok

[@martinfiay8908]

and bunker !

[@utoob7361]

I think I figured it out: One guy gets the ball and then everyone else tries to kill him.

[@hannacook859]

That is quidditch This is everyone trying to kill everyone while a ball(ISH) is somewhere around them

[@maxfish4770]

Haha pretty much, it's actually quite clean these days. The 70s and before were shockingly brutal

[@niksmaithy6929]

yes😂

[@utoob7361]

@@maxfish4770 Are there actually teams, or is it just 'kill the guy with the ball'? Still better than cricket, which seems to have no point at all.

[@maxfish4770]

@utoob7361 lol there are teams, highly recommend watching State of Origin highlights. Cricket is a love or hate type thing. It's kind of like baseball

[@sa1ntluke]

This is actually really well done

[@TheEvilJade]

The only thing I would change is have an example of player been held up in the process of attempting to score a try. They didn't show a visual example. Also maybe show that the defense cannot block attacking players which can be done in American Football. But overall impressed with it.

[@ablet85]

Agreed, but I think they would have had a very limited time slot to get as much as they could in, and I cannot think of too much of what they showed that you could have cut to fit it in.@@TheEvilJade

[@joshloreto2676]

Except they said meters instead I'd yards while targeting Americans

[@alexanderfricska4317]

That pretty much covered it all for beginners.Great explanation video.

[@nicholasmew998]

Russell is welcome to come to the masters festival we're holding at Ed W Clark Stadium on Friday, March 1st. Canada, Australia, and the very first US masters team, starting at 3:30 pm. Afterwards will be the Canada Wolverines vs USA Hawks international at 7:00 pm. We're using the presence of the NRL in Las Vegas to work together with different levels of the game in North America. The NRL have assigned liaison officers to work with us, which we're very pleased about.

[@lancesimon3301]

Nobody is interested

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

I'm sure he's reading the KZbin comment, he'll be there

[@realtalk6195]

As part of the promo for the Vegas event the NRL visited a youth Rugby Union team in Utah instead of the Rugby League team, which rightly p¡ssed the latter off. Do you seriously think they'll entertain local Rugby League to help grow the game? The NRL should have set up a fund to promote the sport in third-world countries where there's grassroots RL. It would have made a huge difference at very little cost in Jamaica, Africa and South America where there's been RL for years now. In many countries simply the act of foreigners visiting and shaking hands with local media and political figures would push RL into the mainstream there. Despite being the richest entity/nation in RL, Australia has done very little to push it abroad. Even the Aus govt has been begging the NRL to admit a Papua New Guinea club as part of soft-power to counter China in the South Pacific and the PNG govt is eager to fund the whole thing but the NRL sits on its ass.

[@lancesimon3301]

@realtalk6195 because they know the sport can't grow.. this is all for gambling and that's all..

[@realtalk6195]

@lancesimon3301 There's far, far more money in betting when you have the audience to go with it. Not to mention the TV deals. If RL grows internationally it's the NRL who would profit most from it by way of TV deals since it's the premier competiton in the sport.

[@usarugbyleagueunionfan]

The NFL has become a lot more pass heavy over the years. Ball running has taken a back seat. As an American Rugby League fan the past 9 years I promise you the sport can grow here. People who like the ‘ground and pound’ will appreciate it. Americans who I show the sport to can’t get over no pads and helmets. I watch enormous amounts of Super League and NRL. The speed of play and physicality will draw Americans in. To anyone who’s going I’ll see you all there.

[@lancesimon3301]

Keep trying to spruiker to the seppos 😂😂 Mate they don't care

[@usarugbyleagueunionfan]

@@lancesimon3301 I am a seppo

[@lancesimon3301]

@@usarugbyleagueunionfan that's what I said. Keep trying to get the seppos interested

[@MrAuskiwi101]

Yes both league and union are far more kinetic than NFL. And that's their attraction. Both are superior to nfl and its formulaic nature, so I hope one day the US catches on. League has some similarities to nfl so more of a chance to go big. Find some hard arse American athletes and anything possible 😀

[@cornishcamper3338]

Slick promotion there by the NRL and with Rusty voicing it adds to the spectacle, a Hollywood A lister who also owns one of the teams competing, I think many Americans would love our game , the greatest game!!

[@Hex0087]

That Matai hit is still one of the best lol

[@sharonwmakita3884]

Beautiful promo

[@alysialenore30]

This is awesome! Sounds like a movie!

[@StephenWestSyd]

Rugby league is a movie

[@TBird89]

Superbly done …well done NRL 👏🏻👏🏻

[@Hankeroo-jf4pj]

Good promotion piece. May need to condensed version too for social media.

[@mcgregorkurum]

Brilliantly done ❤

[@jonplayle6954]

Man can't wait for the season to start let's go Warrior's

[@TheEvilJade]

Same :) We have a very good draw playing the Panthers and Bronco's only once.

[@jonplayle6954]

@@TheEvilJade that's good hopefully get a win over them

[@ablet85]

Im not a Warriors fan but I think the best thing for the NRL would be for them to get a win other there. Need to start converting those union boys across.

[@jonplayle6954]

@@ablet85 I think a few rugby players would switch codes especially with the world cup over and done with be interesting to see who does switch over

[@Coverblue6]

As a Canadian who religiously watches both NFL and CFL, I was introduced to the NRL a couple of years ago… instantly fucking hooked!!! I love it. If it is marketed well in the US and Canada this will explode!!! Unlike Union, which I like as well. Rugby League is fast passed. I can see the casual NFL’r getting into this game more due to the fact how fast paced it is. I am so hyped for this and can’t wait for it to go!!!!!!!!!!

[@cressida00]

Well done Rusty, good advert 2 show Americans.

[@NapoleonBonaparteMAGA]

Dang I'm sold on Rugby. The constant comparisons to NFL helped.

[@williamcarter3933]

It's not the real Rugby

[@bourbonplot]

​@@williamcarter3933 yea its better.

[@minghj]

Rugby League, similar, but different to Rugby Union

[@williamcarter3933]

@@bourbonplot hhhmmm no, simpler yes, managed better - for sure. Better definitely not

[@benjaminrowley]

It’s dull and repetitive

[@microsoftwindows3736]

Is it strange how an Australian who has watched NRL for years understand the rules more clearly?

[@danztastic]

This comment doesn’t make any sense

[@LeeXhaf]

He has a script lol

[@ryanelliott84]

Muppet

[@pbvauxhall5920]

Russel is a New Zealander.

[@Emjay_1922]

Probably cause there has been so many rules changes over the years. See it like a little refresher of the basics.

[@rugbyunionhitman]

I’m now pumped for the season to begin.

[@Cj-nm2gg]

Number 1 sport in Australia 🔥🔥🔥🔥

[@benjaminrowley]

No lol

[@benjaminrowley]

@wolfishjt not having a sook just calling out bs

[@lancesimon3301]

Hahaha no it's not even close😂😂

[@lancesimon3301]

@wolfishjt Mungoball is followed in the housing commission regions of Queensland and parts of NSW. It'd only you expats in Melbourne that follow it down there. It's a dead sport

[@lancesimon3301]

@wolfishjt hang on. You were putting crap on Rugby 2 comments ago 🤣🤣 Keep trying to spruiker your houso sport seppos won't care. You're just spruiking to the Aussies already 🤣🤣🤣

[@Wh4py]

Lets go! Keen for this season!

[@expat74]

He forgot to add - With three on field officials and a video ref we still get calls wrong.

[@warrenbridges1891]

@expat74 I wish we had three on field officials when Graeme O'Grady was ruled offside by Greg Hartley for fielding his own kick.

[@Cj-nm2gg]

What a add 🔥🔥🔥

[@maddog6054]

Never would of thought The NRL would ever go to Las Vegas

[@jacktattis]

I do not think it will last. Americans do not like anything NOT home grown

[@jacktattis]

@@user-mg1p They know that they will not get into the US football scene this is about getting into the Gambling scene. And when in the not too distant future when you become refugees and want to invade Australia you will know what codes we play . Very little NFL and Baseball here.

[@anthonypeterson7028]

That's a great explainer. Well done.

[@colkur5007]

Loving all the salty comments from fans of other codes...chill guys....Rugby League is on to a winner here.

[@lancesimon3301]

Mungoball is never on a winner. It's a dead sport on its last legs

[@summervincent7312]

yes they are very threatened.

[@summervincent7312]

@@lancesimon3301 u wish

[@abs1784]

This was great. Hopefully the Americans understand it. Will be a great way to expand the game in the U.S.A!!!!.We'll done Russell crowe & the team working behind the scenes!!!

[@michaelbates2575]

easy to understand than NFL

[@LeeXhaf]

Very well made. Russell has a great voice for it

[@jacktattis]

we played a state of origin match in LA sometime back It did not take off . And that is the toughest game of R/L anywhere.

[@solecypher3832]

Social media is bigger than ever now though. In terms of growing the game any exposure is better than no exposure 🤝🏾

[@jacktattis]

@@solecypher3832 yES INDEED

[@ryanbaker7558]

Very we’ll explained Russ.

[@boubear26]

Great video that explains the game

[@snitz11]

Awesome job!!!

[@Vili1005]

Lesshhgoo Rusty!!!! Let's get this season started💪💪🏉🏉proper stoked for this new season

[@W0LFY88]

I said to my missus the other day that, I’m 35 years old and in all that time, I don’t think nobody has ever described footy as simple or as well as Rusty has with this promo 😂

[@user-fv5ms4sz8e]

I like Crowe and am glad he's not political.

[@ShadowMan66]

He is! He is pro-Labor and all for the climate nonsense!

[@michaeldudgeon]

I feel like this video was made to late, should of been made a few months ago, also more famous Australians should be helping promote this, I know hugh Jackman, Chris Hemsworth are all NRL fans

[@springwater3723]

Unlike union I feel like league is easier to understand for Americans

[@MrAuskiwi101]

You're right. It's a little more structured, like nfl. Although still much more flowing, usually.

[@Paddlepoplion]

Happy Rugby League Seppos!!

[@celestejimenezredondo2139]

Interesting master class for newbies like me!🤗👌🏉Thank u Russell❤

[@user-vb5xn7ok2l]

Gr8 explanation. Congrats to those responsible. 😃👍👍👍

[@markbph2336]

great vid from the nrl and russell crow. well done...!

[@ju5t_5ay_n0]

Good stuff

[@rabbitohsrule121]

Great complete summary of our game, that the Americans should easily understand. Go the mighty bunnies! GGTSS SSMO SSTID!

[@Slashing_Axis]

They should play this before the game starts just in case there be Americans sitting there going like wtf is happening

[@traceyann76]

Great instructions to any person wanting to learn our game ..

[@richardnraikaraika5507]

Come see a great game all you sport mad people in the USA. Non stop action is what you're going to see watching this amazing sport. Awesome add promotion. ❤❤

[@lancesimon3301]

It just can't grow! I wonder why? 🤣🤣 It's repetitive simple crap

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

And it doesn't take 4hrs because it doesn't stop every 14 seconds to have a meeting and swap the whole team over

[@richardnraikaraika5507]

@@lancesimon3301 Most sports are repetitive. Tennis, bball, NFL, volleyball, union, darts, and the list goes on. This repetitive sport is more exciting to watch than most of the other ball sports. Right up my alley and I don't have to sit for mega hours watching a game. 😁

[@richardnraikaraika5507]

@@crazyprayingmantis5596 yes. Very true. Too much hui ( meetings) and not enough doey, Just get on with the game. 👍

[@lancesimon3301]

@richardnraikaraika5507 if it's mega exciting why can't it grow?

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Love it

[@clearwater3432]

Awesome!!!

[@steveskrobot9496]

Onya Rusty! Doin your part for your country, and most importantly, for your footy team South Sydney!

[@justlinsu]

Great job Russell Crowe. Congrats on getting our game recognised in the States. Good luck to our Rabbitohs ❤💚

[@jacktattis]

I think someone else has said it. Its about the Gambling if the game gets a foot hold, that is icing on the cake . Americans are queer if it is not an original American game they are not interested .So they miss out on football the most watched game in the world and Cricket the second most watched game in the world

[@darrenberich6990]

Brilliant

[@moekontze116]

A very good video❤

[@Brutal_rugby]

Rugby union in Australia should learn from the NRL.....

[@leighbailey-jo9mh]

I love how hard Russell made the game to be!! sounds like Australia 5 years ago.

[@abrahamhipom2006]

This is going to be interesting 🔥

[@scubasteez]

He forgot about the rules of stripping the ball off the opponents.

[@chriswickenden6128]

So well explained Russell Crowe

[@justinharris2400]

Amazing lets go

[@Perpetualmotion00]

Brilliant 👍

[@PaulHolder]

Have they ever done one of these for Union? I feel like it would be about an hour long, would need updating every year and would be full of face-palming detail like "the Jackler must not touch the ground before the they try to steal the ball and must support their weight at all times...unless they only graze the floor slightly or it kind of looks like they might be supporting their weight from a certain angle then it might be fine" or "if a goal kicker stands still and then twitches a bit while preparing to take a conversion, the opposition can run forward and take the ball off the tee" 😆

[@trent3727]

I like Rugby. It's easier to cheat, and cheating is fun.

[@darrenbarker946]

Awesome mate supporting you all the way Daz not Darren wales 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁷󠁬󠁳󠁿

[@brentanllewellyn3898]

Awesome

[@naas699]

only thing that would have made this better is if they used McGaws try & O'Connors conversion from the sidelines in Origin in the rain for the "where the conversions taken from" bit

[@AltcoinIgnition]

You'd think the Warriors didn't exist watching this.

[@RaYMannSuperFLY]

That voice from Russell Crowe

[@billionear]

Best movie voice over ever!! Unfortunately NRL is going to be way too fast for most yanks to follow.

[@jacktattis]

Good luck to all I hope it gets accepted over there. They may have trouble with NFL franchises

[@davidjohnston8639]

On his command, you unleash hell!

[@williamsimmons7093]

Welcome to America Go Bunnies, hopefully AFL"s Magpies will visit next, Mason Cox from Texas is a star for the Pies.

[@lancesimon3301]

Lance Vogel why can't Mungoball grow?

[@Natale5614]

That was great! Rugby is the best! You have no blockers you’re running out there alone, try it! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️♥️

[@jacktattis]

Yes both codes

[@travelmore12]

How does Peter V'landys think he’s going to fill a stadium Las Vegas when he can’t even fill a stadium 1 hr away from Sydney 😂

[@mathewwilliams8278]

#NRL, is a tougher game than #NFL!

[@cheifasmith]

Great promo .. so well explained .. not sure its the fastest ball sport in the world though .. hope its a huge occasion !!

[@Frank-rx8ch]

Russel have Tina Turners Simply the best song playing to promote the game in the USA

[@peterstreiff3811]

I❤ Rugby League! A7FL 🏈 is similar with Rugby League ( 7x7 Players; " no pads,no helmets"! Peter from 🇨🇭

[@369ZIR]

I’m curious what NRLs plan is? What’s the point of having a game in USA? How will they compete with rugby union which is already established and growing in USA?

[@joemalone6994]

no dwz tries?

[@BennVai]

Wow well done! Now I understand the game. Lol

[@lesmondk3376]

Rugby league can do well in the USA with these games I have noticed rugby is losing its popularity as the TV reply has taken over the game trying to tell players how to tackle it is sickening to watch the tv guy trying to say he shouldn’t tackle like that when it happens in a split second l’m never watching rugby again

[@lancesimon3301]

Nobody watches Rugby League in the first place so this is a waste of time

[@CaptainMcOreoWrestling]

Coming from a Australian the Nrl state of origin or grand final which ever one u think is better in my opinion origin bc more history to it but any of those two easily walk straight through the nfl we have no pads we don’t tackle peopem without the ball we have to fight our way through and sure the nfl does that aswell but it’s only their forwards doing that where as in the nrl the person with ball usually has to open a gap right from scratch if the gap has not already been opened so give us some respect for our game bc u hate it or u love it ur gonna respect it just like England and France and all the other countries did so get used to the nrl oh and even if u do bring it in don’t even try to make ur own rules up bc that’s just rude we come to u to teach u a game and u think u can make it better absolutely not only New Zealand has beaten Australia in a rugby World Cup final and they have only done it once so even if u make ur own version of it we will still smack ur asses just like we would in the nfl and that’s bc Australia lives sport day in day out we r the greatest sporting nation in the world so get used to it

[@shanekilpatrick3378]

Good job Rusty.😀👍🏻

[@deedee2172]

Go the bronx 🐎🐎🐎

[@pbvauxhall5920]

Russel is a New Zealander.

[@laniethosea9781]

Better than NFL

[@efccb3669]

I'm from Great Britain a St Helens fan and I say we'll done to Crowe if you didn't know the game this makes it look amazing head and shoulders above Union. A bit to tuff for the Yanks tho I reckon.

[@lancesimon3301]

Of course you're a Northern Englishman. There definitely won't be any Americans that watch these big tough Neanderthals play the most repetitive boring unskilled sport

[@trackjunky3338]

they left out 40-20's that shit will confuse em

[@stevewren1079]

Fabulous. What a terrific promotion, and I love the fact that the word “rugby” was not high lit. The threat is that Americans have only seen it in highlights and do not understand the difference between NRL and rugby. The last thing I want is for rugby to get free publicity. Rugby league is made for the American market and I hope that the players and the NRL will allow latitude for the best elements of the game to be on show. Rugby is dying rugby league is getting better and better and only political correctness stands in the way of it being the dominant code anywhere it’s played

[@JohnAAhern]

Sorry Steve but Rugby Union is the fastest growing sport in the USA. Do some research, league will never grow.

[@stevewren1079]

Why apologize? I’m sure it’s true but the only reason it’s true is because the NRL has never bothered to promote league properly over there. This might be a new direction. Watch out if it is. Here is Australia, rugby is dying. Junior enrollment is way down and the game is broke. Nobody talks about it in the street and the reason is that watching it is like watching paint dry. At its best it looks like a slow game of league. Don’t mean to offend but reality doesn’t care about feelings unfortunately mate. After watching that Super Bowl, I think Americans would swallow anything.

[@JohnAAhern]

Not apologizing just being polite. Rugby will always be so much bigger than league but it has over 500K senior players in USA when in comparison RL has about 180K in Australia. The only way to watch league is on TV because it focuses on the narrow channel that 80% of the game is played in. Notice how the commentators start talking about other things when the turnover and you have the inevitable 5 hitups of one bloke being tackled by three. It remains the most start stop game in the world because, whether you like it or not the game stops every tackle and is put back into play at the play the ball. The facts speak for themselves, in the 70's they tried to introduce it to USA. How did that go? It has not grown in my 60 year lifespan except for flogging to death the Qld v NSW game as SOO. Enjoy one of the smallest sports in the world. @@stevewren1079

[@darrenhaumaha8900]

Yeah Boi

[@tonymarsh8436]

Go the Mighty Bunnies!!! Oh yeah and Go the NRL!!!

[@RyseZen]

People who don't know league already will be so confused when a scrum or 40/20 happens lol

[@harriganfisher7284]

That Was A Lit Promo! Let's Go Brisbane Bronx!!! #REDEMPTION Hope The Americans Embrace It?

[@queenslander954]

Good one Russ , but you should mentioned Countries from all over the World play it in the World Cup & the USA did pretty good at the last one.

[@lancesimon3301]

No they dont 😂😂😂 The Rugby League "World" Cup is the most embarrassing attempt of a World Cup in sport

[@John-pl8fe]

Worst sporting World Cup to exist. Half the so called "International Teams" are just made of Aussies. Lebanon and Greece were all Aussies.

[@ozzygoldadventures]

Might be a great tool for Western Australians too hehe

[@morbidclash]

Pass the ball jamayne! 😅

[@Th3_Jacko]

Part 2 of this video will cover the role of the Bunker.

[@williambaglme819]

Yeah. But NRL keep copyrighting their rugby league content so wasting money here when KZbinrs could be doing promo for free.

[@user-qi2gx2rk2v]

Go the broncs u good thing

[@user-vd4ip3qg5d]

AFL was very popular in the Eighties in the USA when ESPN showed it live! But it fizzled out! This is an oddity to America! Look how big soccer is! And union. But America is NFL. NBA. Baseball. Can't see the long term benifit! But will be a success in Vegas for sure! Short term only.

[@zaksol7022]

Yeah all 3 boring american sports😂

[@netaro1890]

Ok… great advertisement… maybe they should try promoting the sport outside NSW and QlD to the rest of Australia with this kind of energy in the same way AFL is promoting itself to NSW and QlD with Auskick and other ventures….

[@joshloreto2676]

If this promo Is targeted for Americans, why use meters instead of yards

[@zaksol7022]

Golf uses metric and yardage in the states ,americans arent that thick

[@michaelhayes862]

I have THE MOST INNOVATIVE SOLUTION to revolutionize Rugby League and make it far more appealing to Americans. I played the game and have watched it for years so I know what I am saying. I have been trying to get a fair hearing from the Rugby League Gurus many, many times but they just do not want to know.