As much as I would be over the moon with GB/Eng winning Ashes/ 4-Nations/ World Cup etc. in League...I believe the reaction from the neutrals in the uK would be largely apathetic. For a number of reasons:-

1) The games are broadcast on SKY only and as such do not capture the neutral viewer's imagination....also the BBC knowing this give little air time to events exclusively broadcast by their competitor...ITV even less so.

2) The Print Media are largely in the RFU's pocket and so after a brief period of praise would then begin to deconstruct it:- Roo's not as strong as they were- sign of the wane of the game to RU in Southern Hemispere etc. They'd also start making up the usual "Code-Switcher" stories

lets see in may.

i expect the world champions to lose their title fairly easily.

fluking a final is nothing like being able to compete regularly.

New Zealand will be World Champions for 5 years whatever happens in May

they have fluked 2 out of the last 3, thats pretty regular,

maybe they see the sh1tty hand they get dealt by the aussies for the anzac test, and as such treat it with the contempt it deserves,

wait wait wait.......
It's a glorified friendly!!

See how easy this is

3 months time will see the kiwis get walloped again.

shows how silly english RL fans are.

poor NZ not getting to pick from all their players because their SL players arent available for the Anzac test.

what about the aussies who cant pick from the many, many players that are also in SL.

silly fools.

FFS, you're acting like they just won a hand of poker or something. You can't fluke victory in a Rugby League World Cup final.

The best players and the best teams are characterised by their ability to play in the biggest games. Australian RL players seem to completely lack that ability, and are therefore the inferior team.

It's alright winning friendlies, but if can't play the biggest games, what's the point?

winning 2 games in 4 years and losing something like 10 or so in the meantime is not a sign of healthy competition.

then again when comparing it to not winning a series for 40 years, the kiwis record looks brilliant

NZ are the world champions until 2013...no really they are...we're all just gonna have to learn to live with it.