Jimmy Gough is one of them. The main distinction in his case? His were won 16,754 kilometres apart.

The former Bathurst Bulldogs player - affectionately known as 'Pumba' - has spent the better part of the past two years living and working in Doncaster, in the north of England.

While strapping on the footy boots for the first time in five years was not originally in his travel plans, an SOS call from a good mate, former Orange CYMS Cricket Club teammate Dan Horrocks, saw him turning out for the short-handed Yorkshire Main Rugby Union Football Club in the back half of the northern hemisphere's 2018-19 season.

The decision paid handsome dividends for Gough last week when his side defeated Stocksbridge 25-22 in the final of the South Yorkshire Uniplex Bowl, the win coming courtesy of a penalty kick in the shadows of the full-time whistle.

It was Gough's first piece of rugby silverware since his Bulldogs colts side claimed the Central West Rugby Union spoils in 2011.

It was also Yorkshire Mains' first trophy in a long time, the single-team club embarking on just its second competitive season after an absence of almost two decades.

Both of those factors combined to make it a premiership to savour for the loose-head prop, and a season unlike any he'd spent on the Central West's fields, especially in regards to the weather.

"A proper English winters day playing rugby is horrific," Gough said.

"Some games felt like a real old-school battle as well, with lots of old northerners hurling abuse because I'm the foreign one."

The former St Stanislaus College student also cited some similarities that crossed over the hemispheres, most notably the "mateship that rugby creates wherever you play, which is great to see, and the passion with which everyone plays".

In fact, the off-field benefits of Gough's decision to don the Main's blue jersey far outweighed anything that happened between the sidelines and posts in his 15-game stint.

"Rugby just gives you another avenue of mates who travel round the country together, playing sport, so you just have a bond straight away," he said.

"It's a good way to see the parts of the country that aren't the big-city attractions, which I preferred.

"And let's be honest, rugby lads love a beer, so it's a win all round."

Gough will return to Australia in August, around the time many English rugby clubs will be launching into their preseason campaigns.

His advice to those heading to the UK and tossing up throwing on the boots?

"If you have the chance to play rugby in England, regardless of your ability, give it a go, because it's such a great experience," he said.

"But maybe don't be as loud as I was on the field, as you're more likely to be penalised for the stupid things if you're the only one on the field with a booming Aussie accent."