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THREE weeks ago, Brisbane Broncos premiership winner Terry Matterson was about to celebrate his son's birthday on Magnetic Island when one of sport's great fairy tales began.
Matterson's holiday was interrupted by a phone call with the bizarre news that the USA Tomahawks wanted him to coach their maiden Rugby League World Cup campaign.
Since accepting the challenge, Matterson and the Tomahawks have registered 60-plus hours of travel across three continents, engineered three major upsets and booked a Rugby League World Cup quarter-final against Australia.
RLWC officials thought so little of USA's chances they booked them a flight out of England one day before their pool would be officially decided, when the Cook Islands play Wales this Sunday.
USA was 90 to one to make the quarter-finals and now Matterson finds himself in the midst of a history-making achievement.
When he first said "Yes" to Tomahawks' general manager Steven Johnson he knew just three of the 24-man playing squad.
His first day as coach was spent Googling that list to ascertain the talent level at his disposal.
Pulled from all corners of the globe, the Tomahawks have a 6'4" youth worker, a Hawaiian fire dancer, the CEO of a rugby league club in New York, a gas-fitter, a rail-road worker and several personal trainers.
United States rugby league team. Source: Supplied
This unheralded group has become the story of the RLWC.
"I was on my way over to Magnetic Island with my son for his birthday and my wife said I had an email that Brian Smith pulled out as coach and they wanted to offer me the opportunity," Matterson said.
"I had been an assistant coach for two years and thought this would be a great chance to be a head coach again and develop myself.
"Eight days later I was on a plane. I had not spoken to any of the players. All I had was a text from Clint Newton and a phone call from Matt Petersen.
"I had nothing organised. Just thought that I would get over there, see what we had and go from there."
The Tomahawks' have since gained press in the football-dominated back pages of The Sun and The Times in England and the New York Times.
Their Cinderella story even prompted international children's music sensation The Wiggles to film a video tribute to the Tomahawks.
The obstacles Matterson's men have had to overcome are incredible.
They play three pool games in nine days, the toughest draw in the competition, with their game against Scotland tomorrow morning (Friday morning AEDT) their last round-robin match.
Their victory over France in a pre-tournament friendly occurred on the back of four plane flights in two days and one training session.
They beat Wales, in Wales, 24-16 last Sunday just four days after they upset the Cook Islands in Bristol.
Not one player or staff member is being paid. There is not even an allowance.
"As far as expectations, there weren't any," Matterson said.
"I just wanted to coach and teach young men who wanted to learn about rugby league.
"The experienced NRL players we have in Matt Petersen, Clint Newton, Eddy Pettybourne and captain Joseph Paulo are brilliant in how they inspire their team mates."
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