League: Kearney's vision of potent Kiwis fuels desire to stay as coach

Stephen Kearney. Photo / Brett Phibbs

Stephen Kearney wants to stay on as Kiwis coach after this year's World Cup, and to build New Zealand into a consistent force on the world stage.

He took over as coach in time for the 2008 Anzac test and later that year helped New Zealand claim their first World Cup. Every aspect of the Kiwis will be reviewed after this year's campaign but Kearney wants to continue in the role.

He's young - 41 last month - and has ambitions, particularly at international level. He also has no immediate desire to become an NRL head coach again after his experiences at Parramatta in 2011 and 2012 when he was forced to resign after just 10 wins out of his 42 matches in charge.

He was initially interested in helping out Brian McClennan at the Warriors but McClennan was sacked before that could happen. He then expressed interest in taking the top job at Mt Smart Stadium before being offered the role of Broncos assistant under Anthony Griffin, which he agreed to almost immediately.

He thinks the combination of international coach and NRL assistant works well and suits him.

"I would never say never," Kearney says of being an NRL head coach again. "But the last couple of years took its toll not on just me but everything ... my family. It knocked me about, there's no doubt about that. It was quite challenging in terms of trying to overcome that but this is what I love doing, seeing young men develop as footballers.

"There are a number of things I learned about myself and others that will make me a better coach but it was a difficult time. I'm sure there are easier ways to test yourself [as an NRL coach]. I think [being an NRL assistant coach and Kiwis coach] is a better fit. The feedback from staff after last year's Anzac test to this one was totally different. That's the nature of the job."

The Kiwis have developed under Kearney, and there's a sense the World Cup squad will be the strongest they have assembled for quite some time. They have also achieved some memorable victories during his tenure, not least of them the 2008 World Cup and 2010 Four Nations title.

But they are still underachievers. They haven't won the Anzac test since 1998, haven't beaten Australia in nearly three years and had poor Four Nations campaigns in 2009 and 2011. The Kiwis also haven't beaten England in the UK since 2006.

It's part of the reason Kearney wants to continue in the role beyond this year. "It's been at the back of my mind," he says. "The work we've done, and it's not just me, to try to cultivate and build the Kiwi way and what we want to stand for, I don't want to step away from that. The journey is just beginning.

"We want to become a force that's always competing on the world stage and there are a number of Kiwi kids coming through. I want to be able to give them something so they want to play for the black and white jersey."

Retaining the World Cup would make a big difference. The Kiwis open their campaign against Samoa in Warrington on October 28 and will also face France and Papua New Guinea in pool play.

They'll have one warm-up game in the UK, details to be announced next week, after a brief camp in Sydney when the 24-man World Cup squad gathers after the NRL grand final.