SYDNEY, Australia - With 28 years as a football coach, Lloyd Carr had become used to practical jokes from his staff and players.

So when the University of Michigan coach’s assistant entered his office and told him Russell Crowe was on the phone, Carr took a deep breath and prepared himself for another prank  little realizing he was about to embark on an incredible adventure.

“I thought it was a joke,” Carr said.  “I took the call and had to talk to him for several minutes before being convinced he was Russell Crowe, calling all the way from Australia. ... It blew me away.

“He had heard that I used ’Cinderella Man’ once to motivate my players and thought we should meet.”

Last week, Carr found himself here as a special guest of the Academy Award-winning actor and his football team.  Crowe recently bought the squad he had followed with a passion since childhood, the South Sydney Rabbitohs in the Australian Rugby League.

Down under, rugby league  professional rugby  is regarded as the toughest football code in the world.  And after watching the Rabbitohs train and play, Carr had to agree.

“Man, these guys are rugged,” he said with more than a touch of admiration.  “I came here knowing virtually nothing about the game and what astonished me was their endurance and toughness. They just won my respect with their courage, and it is a fantastic game to watch.

“They play for 80 minutes and they do it all non-stop  run, tackle and pass.  There are no specialists  the quarterback has to tackle the big guys, run the football and kick the ball.”

Carr could scarcely believe what unfolded before his eyes on game day as Souths took on Canberra at Olympic Stadium.

“There was no padding or helmets and no blockers to protect you when you run  you are out there on your own,” he said.  “They got smashed, but they got up again and just kept on running.

“They play with broken jaws, blood flowing from head wounds  you really need to see it to believe it.”

Crowe used his influence to give Carr unlimited access to the Rabbitohs’ organization, even getting him to address the players.

“It was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I loved it,” Carr said.  “Russell is a real gentleman with a genuine passion for his game, and I can see why Aussies love their football the way they do  it is a lot faster than our game and the tempo is so fast.  I made some great friends and it is a week in my life I will always treasure.”

Carr picked up some valuable pointers that he may even use with the Wolverines.

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“Our game was born out of rugby, so there are similarities, but there are also differences,” he said.  “We have several guys weighing 300 pounds in our team  they certainly don’t have them in rugby because they wouldn’t be able to get around the field and make tackles.  The players are smaller but faster and more versatile  and tough, boy, they are tough.”

Carr took note of the different approach to training and playing down under.

“The speed at which they do things out on the field is something we can learn from,” he noted.  “It would be great if I could change the tempo of my team a little.  Their weight training and conditioning was also an eye-opener - a totally different way of doing things.”

But it was very much a two-way sharing of knowledge, with Carr giving the Sydney club the benefit of the wisdom that comes with nearly three decades in coaching.

“Our coach, Jason Taylor, is in his rookie year in coaching, so he particularly appreciated talking to someone with Lloyd’s experience,” said millionaire businessman Peter Holmes a Court, a co-owner of Souths with Crowe.  “The players also enjoyed hearing from a different point of view.  It was a great exercise all round.”

Carr brought a pair of fifth-year seniors, defensive end Jeremy Van Alstyne and fullback Brian Thompson, with him on his fantasic voyage.

“Like me, they were blown away by what they saw,” he said.  “I asked them if they wanted to try playing without helmets and pads for 80 minutes straight and they both looked at me as if to say, ’No way - these guys are crazy.’”