Not nearly the same i know BUT this is still interesting reading for anyone who is into the history of 'football' (all types).
http://www.rl1908.com/articles/American-Rugby-League.htm
The American All-Stars Rugby League Team
Sean Fagan of RL1908.com
One of the more positive attempts to introduce Americans to Rugby League took place in Australia in 1953.
Mike Dimitro, a wrestling promoter, brought together in the USA a team called the American Rugby League All Stars. After preparing in a training camp, the team embarked on an ambitious 26 match tour of Australia and New Zealand.
Fans in Australia flocked to see the Americans. In Sydney they attracted over 100,000 to three games. In other rugby league cities they also proved to be popular. In Brisbane 24,397 saw them play Queensland, while crowds in Newcastle (14,160) and Wollongong (11,787) were also solid.
But what was at first seen as a trailblazing step to make Americans aware of the game of rugby league, ultimately finished as a disaster.
None of the 22 players had previously played rugby league - and it showed. In 18 matches in Australia, the All Stars won three, lost 13 and drew two. They scored 406 points, but had 560 scored against them. In their eight New Zealand matches, they won three and lost five, scoring 157 points to 211 against.
Player-manager Mike Dimitro was an outstanding American gridiron player. He was in Australia during World War 2 and became involved in Services boxing and wrestling matches. He had been approached by the Australian Board of Control to organise a rugby league tour by a USA team on the recommendation of a New Zealand official.
When it was known that a US team was to tour, 52 prospective tourists went into training, including Bob Waterfield, the husband of movie star Jane Russell. However, many of the trialists dropped out and in the end Dimitro had difficulty finding sufficient players for the trip. Two players arrived by plane the day before their first match.
The Americans opened their tour in Canberra against a combined Monaro and Southern Division team, and won 34-25. In their next match, against a strong Sydney team at the Sydney Cricket Ground, a sellout 65,453 came to watch them play.
But the novelty wore off quickly. The Americans were beaten 52-25 and in their next match at the SCG, against NSW, just over 32,000 saw the Americans thrashed 62-41 in a farcical match. It was too much to expect a team of novices, most of whom had never seen a game of rugby league, to be competitive against one of the game's most powerful nations.
Dimitro had players who had either played American football or knew something of rugby union. Norm Latchem Robinson was appointed coach of the Americans and was given some assistants after the second match of the tour. As the tour wore on, the All Stars team included local players to bolster their ranks.
The American Rugby League team toured country centres in New South Wales, then Brisbane, through Queensland country and across to New Zealand. They won six games in total, with the most notable victories being wins over Newcastle (19-10), Ipswich (16-15) and South Auckland (22-19). The All Stars drew games against North Queensland (17-17) and Wide Bay (33-33). The "Yanks" also took on other strong sides including Sydney, Brisbane and Auckland without success.
Australian crowds were bemused by some of the American tactics. Not surprisingly, they used the long gridiron style throw from one side of the field to the other, and for the first two matches, the Americans wore long gridiron trousers. After that they changed to shorts. So poor were their attempts to play the ball that New South Wales hooker Ken Kearney had to kick the ball through to ensure they kept possession. If nothing else, the Americans wore colourful outfits - royal blue jerseys with red and white stripes on the sides.
One redeeming aspect was the decision of Al Kirkland, the best of the Americans, to stay in Australia. He worked at St Marys Munitions Factory in Sydney's west and joined the Parramatta club in 1956. He started the season as a winger but learned the game so well that he played some matches in the centres or five-eighth. He appeared in all 18 first grade matches in 1956 and scored four tries. It was his only season in Sydney football.
The All Stars manager, Mike Dimitro, did not give up on his hopes of establishing rugby league in the United States. He organised two exhibition matches that were held in California between Australia and New Zealand after the conclusion of the 1954 World Cup in France. Sadly, few spectators turned up to watch.
In the late 1960s Dimitro tried to persuade the international bodies to let him stage a Rugby League World Cup in North America. He was unsuccessful.
