England are in the World Cup final then. Which one? Rugby of course. The Rugby World Cup. They are, I assure you.

Yes, you’re quite right to think that you should have heard about it by now. No, no, not the Rugby Union World Cup, that’s in Japan in 2019. This is the original Rugby World Cup, the Rugby League World Cup. England are playing Australia at the Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane this Saturday and are hoping to get their hands on a trophy they have not won since 1972 (as Great Britain).

It’s OK, nobody blames you for not knowing. It is not like there has been an explosion in all forms of media and communication in the interceding 45 years, or a vast commercialisation of all forms of sport and a concomitant redevelopment as a multibillion pound industry that touches the lives of people all round the globe. If that had been the case, there would surely be no reason for being ignorant of the fact that England are in a World Cup final on Saturday.

Similarly, there would be no reason for Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and former Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, to tweet after England’s nail-biting semi-final 20-18 win over Tonga last Saturday, ‘England are in a World Cup final on Saturday. I live in hope that, at some point this week, our media will inform the nation about this.’