Australia's dominance in the Rugby League World Cup speaks for itself. Over the past three editions of the tournament, Australia has been strong and continues to cement its reputation as the powerhouse of international rugby league.
But despite their success, the landscape of international rugby is shifting.
Many of the game's top stars have chosen to represent their countries of heritage, creating a scenario where the best players are spread across the globe rather than being confined to the Australian squad.
This was seen last year when the New Zealand Kiwis produced an upset win in the Final to topple the Kangaroos.
I've assembled a top Australian side made up of players who have previously worn the green and gold or are set to wear it at the 2024 Pacific Championships.
For the Rest of the World team, I've set challenging criteria by selecting only one player from each country, ensuring each player has actually represented that nation or been selected to represent a country at the 2024 Pacific Championships.
With the Pacific Championships fast approaching, we can expect to see a number of familiar NRL stars representing their heritage and culture.
Who would make up these two teams, and more importantly, who would win?
| Fullback | Dylan Edwards | James Tedesco (Italy) |
| Wing | Zac Lomax | Ronaldo Mulitalo (USA) |
| Centre | Latrell Mitchell | Stephen Crichton (Samoa) |
| Centre | Matt Burton | Herbie Farnworth (England) |
| Wing | Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow | Dominic Young (Jamaica) |
| Five-Eighth | Cameron Munster | Luke Keary (Ireland) |
| Halfback | Nathan Cleary | Mitchell Moses (Lebanon) |
| Prop | Tino Fa'asuamaleaui | Addin Fonua-Blake (Tonga) |
| Hooker | Harry Grant | Apisai Koroisau (Fiji) |
| Prop | Reuben Cotter | Payne Haas (Philippines) |
| Back-Row | Liam Martin | Benjamin Garcia (France) |
| Back-Row | Angus Crichton | Jack de Belin (Papua New Guinea) |
| Lock | Isaah Yeo | James Fisher-Harris (New Zealand) |
| Interchange | Connor Watson | Peter Mamouzelos (Greece) |
| Interchange | Cameron Murray | Euan Aitken (Scotland) |
| Interchange | Patrick Carrigan | Xavier Willison (Cook Islands) |
| Interchange | Bradman Best | Scott Drinkwater (Germany) |