TWO overseas-based journalists say that just competing in the Rugby League World Cup is an accomplishment for which Jamaica’s Reggae Warriors can be be proud.

While Jamaica have five players among its ranks from the Duhaney Park Red Sharks who are the local national club champions, the majority of the team comprises experienced England-based players from clubs in the Betfred Super League and the Rugby Football Union Championship.

This mix of experience has led to discussions about whether Jamaica has the potential to advance from Group C which also includes Lebanon and New Zealand (NZ), who are one of the favourites to become world champions.

Jamaica’s road to the World Cup has, however, not been without its challenges regarding raising the profile of and growing the sport locally. Its national programme is just around 19 years old. Although Rugby League Jamaica has consistently staged a national league championship and has over a thousand players registered at various age groups, it has not received the financial or infrastructural backing it would have hoped for, even in light of the nation’s first-ever World Cup berth.

Head coach and director of rugby, Romeo Monteith has appealed to the Government and corporate Jamaica on numerous occasions for assistance in securing a venue specifically meant for the sport.

“It’s crazy to see our young kids playing on hard fields with stones and scrounging; [we are] really begging football administrators to allow us to use their fields,” Monteith appealed after the team secured qualification in November 2018. “We’re in the World Cup now, and we’re really appealing and begging the prime minister to really step in and allocate a field to Rugby League Jamaica. Rugby Union, as well, is right there, having made the World Cup Sevens. Please. That’s what we want. We need something to help the game to grow on the island.”

While the Sport Development Foundation has assisted with funds for hotel accommodation and feeding players, Monteith’s plea for a home for rugby has gone unfulfilled.

Monteith also lamented having to rent and borrow venues from football clubs to host league games, and being told afterwards they’re no longer welcome on them.

With this in mind Mike Meehall Wood, an Irish editor of Australia-based rugby league website The Roar, says just getting to the World Cup is a win for Jamaica.

“When some of the Jamaica players began their careers there was no pathway at all to major tournaments,” Meehall Wood told the Jamaica Observer. “For those guys who grew up in the Jamaican community in the UK, this is huge. It will do wonders for the next generation there.

“For the Jamaica-based guys, this is perhaps even bigger. They get to face off with the biggest names in the sport like NZ, who are potentially the best team in the world. For those players to get that opportunity, it cannot be underestimated.”

Meehall Wood points to Ireland, who have been playing at the World Cup since 1995, saying that nation had a similar start with players from their domestic league and UK-based heritage players.

“Now, we have 20 plus years behind us and a strong team. Everyone starts somewhere. All respect to Romeo Monteith and Rugby League Jamaica for getting this going,” he said.

While Meehall Wood believes Jamaica lacks the talent of its groupmates, he says anyone could advance with NZ.

“Ireland are easily comparable to Jamaica as their players largely play in the same club competitions and they are a lot stronger,” he said. “Lebanon is more difficult because their squad is mostly based in Australia, with some from the Lebanese league. I’d expect them to be good but it’s a big unknown. I wouldn’t expect anything from the game against the Kiwis [NZ] but I think Jamaica’s best chance of a win is against Lebanon.”

Joel Beatton of The Sporting Base agrees with this assessment.

“They will enter each of their clashes as outsiders but may prove a bother for Ireland or Lebanon if a level of complacency were to haunt their preparations,” Beatton wrote on September 6. “Qualifying for the World Cup was the big mountain for the Jamaicans to climb and, whilst they will be desperate to rattle the cages of Ireland and Lebanon, competing in the tournament alone will be the biggest achievement in the history of [the]Jamaican rugby league.”

Jamaica can, however, boast a win against Ireland in 2016 — although it was a squad made up of amateurs and missing its captain and other regulars — which they beat 68-18.

But Monteith is also not getting carried away with expectations. He says the Reggae Warriors will be taking it one game at a time.

“Ultimately, we want to push for a result every time we play,” Monteith told the Observer on Tuesday. “Everything we speak about is putting out the highest degree of effort to be competitive.”

The Reggae Warriors get their campaign started against Ireland at Headingley Stadium in Leeds on Sunday at 11:00 am Jamaica time.