In a way, the Kiwis will step back in time more than two decades when they take the field in the Pacific Championships next month. When James Fisher-Harris leads his team out against Australia in Christchurch on October 27, they will be wearing jersey designs last seen in 2002.
Thenew Kiwis strip was unveiled on Tuesday and is a replica of that strip, worn in the end-of-year test against the Kangaroos, then the subsequent tour of England and France.
Back then the sport was on an all-time high, after the Warriors had reached their first NRL grand final, sparking wild scenes of celebration when they qualified by beating the Cronulla Sharks and massive media interest in the lead-up to the match.
However, it wasn’t a particularly successful year for the Kiwis. They were edged 32-24 by Australia in Wellington in a tight encounter, after leading 24-16 midway through the second half. The 17 who took the field were a reflection of the Warriors’ success, with eight players from the Auckland club.
The trip to the Northern Hemisphere became an endurance test, with numerous injuries and withdrawals along the way, with the squad down to 22 players at one point. They beat Wales 50-22, they toppled Great Britain 30-16 at Ewood Park, with Henry Fa’afili getting a hat-trick. The second test was a 14-14 draw, before the home side prevailed 16-10 in Wigan, their first victory over the Kiwis in a decade.
That result - and a perceived lack of progress - saw coach Gary Freeman replaced by Daniel Anderson in 2003.
So it wasn’t a standout year and if you were looking to model a historic Kiwis jersey from that era, there were other more obvious choices. The 2005 jumper – worn during the remarkable Tri-Nations campaign where Brian McClennan’s team toppled Australia twice, including the 24-0 win at Elland Road or especially the 2008 kit, when the Kiwis became world champions in Brisbane.
But designer Dynasty Sport apparently liked the look of the 2002 top, with the design ticking several boxes. There’s also a nice sense of symmetry, as new coach Stacey Jones captained the Kiwis for the first time that year.
