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Emotional Hollywood superstar Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson tells Samoan footy players he wants to run onto the field with them in the Rugby League World Cup final – but admits he’d get his ‘a** kick’ if he played
The Rock smells the Samoan rugby league team cooking up a World Cup victory and now the Hollywood star has sent an inspiring five-minute message to Toa Samoa.
Dwayne Johnson has also jokingly said he would love to play in the Rugby League World Cup final against Australia on Sunday but fears he would be crushed if he did.
Former wrestling star and current action movie icon The Rock has Samoan ancestry through his mother Ata and famous grandfather, High Chief Peter Maivia.
His endorsement comes after several NRL fans, including former winger and Footy Show joker Beau Ryan, called on Johnson to send a message to the Samoan team on social media.
“Man, I’m getting goosebumps right now, you can see that,” he says towards the end of the video posted to his Instagram account.
“If I were there with you on Saturday, I would put on a Toa Samoa jersey and hit that field. Man I’d run that rock with you guys. I’d probably get my a** kicked, but that’s OK.”
Samoa’s Brian To’o performs the Manu Siva Tau with teammates ahead of the Rugby League World Cup pool match against England
Samoa stunned the rugby league world by reaching the final for the first time in a thrilling victory over host and tournament enthusiast England in the semi-final.
In reality, the Pacific Island nation struck its first blow much earlier than that, with the likes of Joseph Sua’ali’i, Junior Paulo, Stephen Crichton and polarizing premiership winner Jahrome Luai all taking chances to play for Australia to return to their home country instead to represent rejected.
“Man, here we go,” The Rock opened his video.
“I bring this message with boundless love and boundless reverence and respect and boundless pride for my boys, my Uso’s, Toa Samoa rugby [league] team.
‘They’re going to the men’s final of the Rugby League World Cup.
“This is a big problem, they are making history in the sporting world, in the rugby world [league].
Samoa celebrates after Stephen Crichton kicks the winning golden point drop goal to win the Rugby League World Cup semi-final against England and book their place in the final
“This is the first time our island, our country, our culture of Samoa has ever made it to the finals for any sport.
They are making history and I couldn’t be more proud of them. We couldn’t be more proud of them.’
Johnson called on the players to channel Fa’a Samoa – which translates to ‘The Samoan Way’ – to show perseverance in their confrontation with Australia and create a new legacy for the island nation.
Johnson lives in the United States, but is proud of his Samoan heritage
“When I think of legacy, I think of my grandfather, I think of my father – the “Soul Man”, Rocky Johnson. I think of my grandparents, all my ancestors, all your ancestors. Our ancestors are watching.
“So when you take the field this Saturday in Manchester and you have that guts and your DNA is just full of our Samoan pride and culture and you think about that heritage and the heritage you want to define.
“There are two sides to legacy, number 1 is the side where you’ve already made history. You have arrived.
“But the other side of legacy – and this is the special side – is when you get on that pitch in Manchester, you leave everything on the pitch and you win.”