Rugby League: Kiwis look to veteran pair for inspiration

By PETER JESSUP

The New Zealand Rugby League ran out two Kiwi winners to relaunch this season's campaign against the Kangaroos.

Des White and Jim Edwards were in the 1953 Kiwi side - the last to beat the Aussies in a test series.

Yesterday they met today's stars Clinton Toopi and Francis Meli to unveil a commemorative jersey for the second test on October 18 at North Harbour Stadium.

White, a veteran of the arduous tour of England and France in 1952 and the Kiwis fullback from 1950 to 1956, remembers the series against the Kangaroos well.

The home side won 25-5 at Christchurch, 12-11 at the Basin Reserve and were leading 16-8 before conceding two late tries to go down 18-16 in the last test at Carlaw Park.

White and Edwards appreciated the return to a plain black jersey with the traditional white V down from the neck.

It's a clean strip, with only the NZRL badge and words to mark the 100th game between the two countries and the sponsor's logo.

Toopi declared the design a classic and said he would like to wear it in a game where some revenge was made after the 48-6 rout in Sydney in July.

"Personally, I felt that game was a disgrace. We panicked - I don't know why - we didn't back each other in defence and they knew it and took advantage."

White spoke to the Warriors and Kiwis centre for some time, expressing admiration for the Warriors' skills, but warning that while their one-handed off-loads were a winning tactic, they were also a recipe for disaster.

One-handed and overhead passes were something White and his team-mate would have been dropped from the team.

He admired Warriors and Kiwis coach Daniel Anderson's ability to lift the players from their poor run of form and advised him to use his full Warriors side as the Kiwis.

The 1953 winners had beaten the Australians in a series across the Tasman in 1952 after losing a test series in Britain.

Their success was based on combinations formed on the tough 40-match tour in 1952, White said.

He predicted success for Anderson, with the Warriors and Kiwis.

"We had power and pace, sheer speed in the backline, and they have it now," he said.