‘Like human cockfighting… is this normal?’: Hilarious way US reacted to NRL’s Vegas extravaganza

The NRL’s introduction to America has got off to a frantic start, with the Rabbitohs and Sea Eagles trading tries in a high-scoring affair on Sunday afternoon.

The game certainly delivered plenty of entertainment, from a stunning Lachlan Ilias try-saving tackle to big hits that reminded Americans just how tough our sport is.

So, how have U.S. fans reacted to rugby league?

Well, one Brooklyn-based writer decided to blog the game with minimal previous experience watching the sport — and it delivered hilarious results.

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David Lengel, who wrote that his “total NRL exposure” included “about five minutes of watching Castleford on UK television back in 1995”, ran a live blog of the first game between the Sea Eagles and Rabbitohs for The Guardian.

“I’m looking forward to trying to figure out this sport, live, on the fly,” Lengel wrote.

That included the terminology as Lengel described the opening try of the game, which saw Richie Kennar write his name in the record books, as a “touchdown” in his blog.

“Good news for me, the Bunnies have run into the KFC end zone and score four points!,” Lengel wrote, noting the fact the try did not stop the clock or lead to a commercial.

Some rugby league rules still didn’t seem to register, which was understandable given it was the first time Lengel had been watching in almost 30 years, including the concept of kicking for touch after penalties.

“There’s a penalty on the Bunnies, so then a Manly player takes the ball and kicks it away. I don’t get that. What do you get for a penalty?” he wrote.

The NRL sold itself to America as a sport with no pads, no helmets and no fears ahead of the historic double-header and that was something Lengel quickly caught onto, describing the physicality both teams played with as “impressive”.

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“One of the Bunnies chokes a Manly player, but this seems to be fine. Nobody seemed to get too upset about it,” he wrote.

Lengel later went on to compare it to “human cockfighting” as Lachlan Croker was left bloodied by a collision while Manly’s Jaxson Paulo also required treatment after being opened up.

“ANOTHER player is bleeding! Is this normal?” Lengel wrote.

“… But they play on! Jesus.”

In giving his first impressions after the first half, Lengel was taken aback by the “furious pace” the game was played at.

“Lots of speed, athleticism, some great ball handling and extremely physical. There’s a lot to like here and a lot to learn,” he added.

In his final thoughts after the game, Lengel described it as “chaos but fun”.

“Trying to figure out a new sport on the fly is daunting, but I’ve learned a lot. NRL may not be your thing, but if you don’t respect the talent on that field as a sports fan, then you’re not a real sports fan, because these teams put on a great performance,” he wrote.

“If this game came to New York, and they didn’t price gouge me out of the place, I’d go and watch, no question.”

Meanwhile, John Layfield, also known as JBL — the longest-running WWE Smackdown champion — described it as a “fun sport to watch”.

Elsewhere, prominent American boxing promoter Lou DiBella tweeted his praise as he declared the NRL “fast, exciting, physical and easy to understand”.