A MONTH ago, most pundits were predicting that the two Super League teams that would be playing in Las Vegas in 2027 would be Hull FC and St Helens.

Last week we discovered that the teams selected to make the trip are Leigh Leopards and Bradford Bulls.

Hull and St Helens both decided separately that next year wouldn’t be a good time for them, so the Bulls and Leopards were happy to step into pole position to make the trip.

And I think that anyone would have to admit that Derek Beaumont is undoubtedly the greatest showman among the Super League club owners and I can only imagine that a flood of supporters into the gambling city festooned in Leopards gear will provoke a great reaction from the locals and from the other Rugby League supporters who will be heading there, particularly from the four Australian NRL clubs.

Last year the Hull KR fans in particular created a great impression on the Strip, although they didn’t have much to celebrate with the game itself as they were hammered by Leeds Rhinos.

And that’s been a problem for both Super League games in Las Vegas.

In 2025 Wigan hammered Warrington, and last year the Rhinos demolished the Robins.

A tightly contested game in 2027 would be hugely welcome.

And I would like to make one suggestion to the organisers of the event.

In 2025 the game between Wigan and Warrington was broadcast live on Sky Sports at 9.30pm on the Saturday evening, with the game between the Jillaroos and the England Women starting at midnight our time.

In 2026 there was no women’s game, so Leeds and Hull KR kicked off at midnight, which was clearly a bad time for English viewers.

I hope the RFL will suggest to the NRL that they put another game on before the two Australian games, so that the Bulls and Leopards can revert to a 9.30pm kick-off.

An obvious game would be an international clash between the USA and Canada.

Let’s keep our fingers crossed.

Will we get a strong CEO to run the game?

The RFL directors interviewed four candidates for the vacant RFL chief executive post on Friday.

Of those four, one of them stands out above the others, as far as I’m concerned, although I’m sworn to secrecy about their identity.

What we need more than anything is someone who understands the need to promote Rugby League far more aggressively than we have seen in the past and who isn’t prepared to accept that we can’t fill major stadiums such as Wembley this Saturday for our major matches.

In other words we need someone who isn’t satisfied by the status quo.

I understand that the RFL is to reduce the shortlist to two candidates and they will interview both of them face to face this week.

I just hope that that they then make the right choice.

The tragedy of Jai Arrow

I was desperately sad to read the news of South Sydney player Jai Arrow being diagnosed with motor neurone disease (MND).

We all saw what that terrible disease did to Rob Burrow and the way his family dealt with his condition so admirably.

Jai’s family now can look forward to a similar slow deterioration in his condition in the coming years.

It’s pertinent to ask the question of whether playing Rugby League has contributed to the MND suffered by Rob and now Jai.

We can ask the question, but unfortunately we can’t answer it.

The curious thing is that neurological experts suggest that MND disproportionately affects highly fit, physically active, individuals.

While anyone can develop the condition, neurologists rarely see MND in completely sedentary people.

Professor Pamela Shaw, a neurological expert, commented that couch potatoes rarely develop the disease.

We can only hope that at some time soon there will be a breakthrough in understanding and then reversing the disease and that such knowledge will come in time for Jai Arrow and all the other unfortunate people who are suffering from MND.