THERE will be a distinct Port Macquarie flavour on the Sunshine Coast from Thursday when the Oztag World Cup kicks off.
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Greg Smith, Greg Gleeson and Shaun Magnus will represent the Hastings in the Australian side, while Steve van Gamert, Katrina Latimore and Claire Michell will run around in the Barbarians side.
Toni Stone will represent the region in the Australian Indigenous team.
"It's great to see her representing the Indigenous community here in Port Macquarie and I couldn't be happier for her," Smith said.
By the time the final is played on Sunday afternoon teams could have played up to nine matches in three days, but anyone could win it.
"There's always four teams in each division that are evenly matched and could win it," he said.
It will be the first time the event has been held in Australia after previous tournaments had been played in New Zealand and Smith said the three Australian sides were shaping up well.
"The Indigenous team are usually quite strong in their division and actually won it in 2012," he said. "They usually boast ex-NRL players like Cliff Lyons, Jeff Hardy and Rod Silva."
Smith said while the focus was on what happened on the field for forty minutes it was also a cultural experience.
"I'm looking forward to the game against the New Zealand Maori team because I know they'll do the haka and that adds to the atmosphere," he said.
"I also remember the last one we played a game against Japan and normally when you take a tag you put it on the ground in front of you, but they handed it back to us in two hands almost as if it was a Samurai sword."
The memory of an early exit in 2012 will spur the Australian side on and Smith said a home World Cup was an experience for all the players because it provided family and friends the opportunity to attend and watch. While retirement is not on the agenda, Smith was unsure if he would see another World Cup.
"One thing I haven't won in my career so far is a World Cup," he said. "It's so easy to bow out early. In 2012 we went through the pool stages undefeated, then were knocked out 3-2 in the quarter finals and it was tournament over so you never know what's going to happen.
"I'm going there to enjoy myself with some mates and if you win it's a bonus, but any time you pull on the green and gold you do your best."
