I had a long and passionate piece prepared about international sport and the pride one would feel pulling on your country's colours, standing for your country's anthem and winning or losing with the support of your country behind you.
The pride: seeing your name enter the record books as having represented your country in your chosen sport. The history: your country's crest on the jersey you have been handed. The passion.
You may be from a small island in the middle of an ocean that is favourite to win or from the most populous nation in the world who are considered no chance of victory. Who cares? It's your country.
So what if you get beaten 75-0 or win 75-0, you represented your country. The key is you didn't choose your country, your country chose you and your fellow countrymen. You've been asked to fly the flag of your forefathers because you are one of them.
Who am I kidding?
Playing for Wigan didn't make me a Wiganer. Playing for Newcastle didn't make me a Novacastrian. Playing for Ireland didn't make me Irish. Standing in a stable doesn't make you a horse.
I felt pride, but a different pride, in all three instances. Wigan because of Boston, Sullivan and Robinson. Newcastle because my best friend played for them. And Ireland, because I love Ireland. I absolutely love Ireland and thank fortune I was born there.
International sport, in an ever increasing number of cases, has become club sport in a different jersey.
Plenty of clubs have locals in their ranks. They love the fact that not only do they get to play their sport, they get to do it in their town or city's colours.
Playing for the club you supported as a kid, wow. I dreamt of playing for Celtic. Kris Radlinski dreamt of Wigan. He lived out his dream and I'm half jealous. Some clubs strive to have local talent in their team, which is commendable. Some consider the players "local" if they have been with the clubs since a young age, but they are in the minority.
Clubs are generally filled with 'out of towners'. The clubs represent the place, the players represent the club, and the supporters are fine with that. They want to win and they aren't bothered who wins for them.
An all-Munster team winning a European trophy led by an all-Munster coaching staff? Nirvana, but the supporters will take an all-European team winning with an all-Münster coaching ticket if the Germans ever take to the 15-a-side code.
Not being from Gateshead, Hull or Warrington didn't mean I lacked a sense of pride in representing those clubs that represented their localities. It certainly didn't mean I was from Gateshead, Hull or Warrington either, but being from Hull wasn't a prerequisite in my contract.
International sport is the same. You probably don't agree with that. You probably are a purist but I just need to show you one international team with a non-national to prove my point.
I played for Ireland with players who would think Wicklow is a signal to change candles. Was I bothered? Not really. They all seemed proud to play for Ireland. They had parents or grandparents from Ireland. Plenty had already played for England years before.
You don't have to be Irish to play for Ireland or Australian to play for the Kangaroos. I thought it would be different. As a kid I believed it was different. Now I don't think it is. Get used to the fact that players ever more frequently will choose their countries instead of being chosen because they are from a country.
The players make the choice and it upsets traditionalists. It destroys the prospects of some smaller nations. It allows players not good enough for one country, their country, to find a jersey in another country. It allows players with no country to play for a country. It allows countries with no teams to see their countrymen play against other countries albeit for different countries. Confused and think the lines are blurred? You should be because they are.
The world of rugby league is up in arms about Australia's decision to pick Semi Radradra. Semi is Fijian. Born in Fiji to Fijian parents.
However, for reasons not yet publicly stated, Semi would prefer to play for Australia, who he qualifies for under residency rules. I suggest money is the reason despite the fact that he is and will continue to be amply rewarded by his club for his sensational talents.
If Semi is not drawn to represent the island nation of Fiji, to be their star and inspire future generations, what do you want to do? Change the residency rules? Make it five years, 10 years? I am not sure how that would tally with the law of the land. I can hold an Australian passport but not play for Australia, you tell me?
How about not allowing players to jump countries every two years? That makes more sense but would Semi have played for Fiji at the 2013 World Cup if someone whispered that an Australian cap lay just around the corner?
Would Michael McIlorum, Chris Bridge, Ben Harrison and Ben Currie all have declared for Ireland if they knew England caps were fast approaching? I know Ireland benefited from their talents, if only for a time. We'll probably never know. I don't know what the future holds but I wouldn't like the job of sorting this out.
The players who represent Australia and New Zealand in rugby league, and are nearing the ends of their careers, claim to want to put something back into the countries of their origin, like Samoa, Tonga or Fiji. They need to realise they would do more for their countries of origin if they declared for them at the very start.
It comes down to finances. We, as a governing body and a sport, need to ensure that the countries they're from are financed adequately, so the players do not feel they are playing for second-class rugby league countries.
We have got to address these issues. Part of it lies with the administration of the game but a massive part lies with the players. Even then, I'm not sure it will solve the problem in rugby league.