When it comes to the sport of rugby, the authorities have consistently made noise about their desire to 'grow the game'.
Rugby union as currently constructed is still a fairly niche sport in global terms. It may be played in quite a few countries, but it is only very popular in around ten or so nations.
It has been said that increasing the global reach of the sport is something that is paramount in order for it to continue to grow, with projects such as the recent Six Nations documentary on Netflix approved with that goal in mind.
While this is an ongoing process, we didn't expect to see a mention of an Irish rugby team on WWE broadcast this week.
READ HERE: Mack Hansen Backs Ireland To Shake Off England Defeat And Lift Six Nations Crown
Leinster Rugby makes unexpected WWE appearance
For those unfamiliar with the recent history of the WWE, Roman Reigns is probably the biggest star in professional wrestling at the moment.
One of the most familiar aspect of Reigns is his catchphrase 'acknowledge me', which has recently become part of a TikTok trend. A number of major professional sports teams shared the phrase online, with some of them making appearance on a WWE broadcast.
That includes Leinster, who popped up on SmackDown this week.
Have you acknowledged your Tribal Chief? ☝️😏#SmackDown pic.twitter.com/WsTV8XZK9p
— WWE (@WWE) March 16, 2024
Not a crossover we expected to see.
Prior to his move to professional wrestling, Roman Reigns (or Leati Joseph Anoaʻi to give his official name) was an accomplished American football player. He spent four years as a defensive tackle at Georgia Tech and spent some time as part of practice squads in the NFL after graduation.
He joined the WWE in 2010 and is the current WWE and WWE Universal champion.
If the wrestling ever goes south for him, he probably would be a handy man for Leinster to bring in as a bit of backrow cover.
SEE ALSO: Report - Peter O'Mahony To Play For Ireland For Final Time v Scotland
