Cooper Cronk conveys meaning of Rugby League World Cup via jersey swap with Liam Finn Cooper Cronk. FOR every critic who thinks this World Cup is a waste of time, Ireland captain Liam Finn tells a story that might change your mind. Finn walked off the field yesterday on the wrong side of a 50-0 hiding at the hands of the tournament favourites Australia. But on a bitterly cold night in Limerick, Finn then spoke about a moment at the end of the match that he would remember forever. "Cooper Cronk asked me to swap shirts today after the game," Finn said. I play second division rugby league in England and he is probably the best halfback in the world. And he wants to swap shirts with Ireland. That's the type of players who play rugby league. The message that we get from a lot of the NRL players is they want the game to develop and they are happy to pass on their knowledge and they are secure enough in their own knowledge that they are happy to pass it on. Jarryd Hayne tackled. Cronk agreed that there was more to this tournament than who wins the final at Old Trafford on November 30. "The experience to spread the word of rugby league is what it is all about," Cronk said. I am just as proud and excited to represent my country as the captain of Ireland. It is a chance of a lifetime to come over to Ireland. Play at Wales at Millennium Stadium, one of the biggest venues in the world, and just do as you dreamed of as a kid. Now there are guys who play second division, locals from Samoa and Tonga, and you've got guys who are playing professional as well. It is a really good mix. It is a great advertisement for rugby league and I hope it continues for the next month. The crowd in Limerick was only 5021, but it was the biggest to attend a rugby league match in Ireland. And as for the future, Ireland's coach Mark Aston was adamant the tournament was a step in the right direction.