Two emerging rugby league players from Ireland are helping to foster a growing interest in the National Rugby League (NRL) among members of the Irish rugby union team. Siulagi Tuimalatu-Brown, a centre, and Hugo Peel, a fullback, have each made their NRL debuts in the past year, albeit with limited game experience and no tries scored so far. Both spent two weeks at Irish rugby heavyweight Leinster as part of an exchange program between the Melbourne Storm and Leinster rugby clubs.

Their involvement in the NRL and ties to Leinster have notably influenced veteran Irish fullback Hugo Keenan and several of his Ireland teammates, who have since adopted the Melbourne Storm as their preferred NRL team. This connection led to a group of Irish Test players attending Melbourne’s NRL match against Manly at 4 Pines Park shortly after arriving in Australia for the Nations Championship.

Keenan, 30, who has competed at the highest levels of rugby union, highlighted the appeal of the NRL’s intensity and atmosphere. “I had never been to an NRL game but I’ve started getting into it over the last few years,” he explained prior to Ireland’s Test against Australia at Allianz Stadium. He noted that State of Origin matches are regularly watched back in Ireland because of their high level of competition and excitement.

He also credited the relationship between Leinster and Melbourne Storm for sparking his interest, mentioning the influence of the two Storm academy players who had recently been at Leinster. “One of them, Lagi, was actually playing for the Storm [that Saturday],” Keenan said. “If I had to choose a team, it would be the Storm because of that, for no other reason or affiliation.”

Keenan described Peel as a curious player who often sought his insights during their time together. Peel made his NRL debut a few months ago, adding to the growing link between the two rugby codes and countries.

Regarding the experience of attending an NRL match in person, Keenan described the atmosphere at the game against Manly as “class,” noting that the stadium was nearly full well before kickoff and that the excitement was palpable. This enthusiasm appears to be creating a novel bridge between rugby union players in Ireland and rugby league in Australia, fueled by the young players’ cross-code experiences and ongoing exchange initiatives.