"We were feeling good, we had laid a platform," said Nikorima. "But we knew the game was still there for the taking."
The role of a modern day coach at halftime differs. Some spend the period speaking to the team, others just observe, looking for a vibe from certain individuals. Kearney let his senior players do some talking, before seeking out Nikorima.
"We spoke about what we might do at halftime," said Nikorima. "`Mooks' (Kearney) came over and sat down. He said to me - 'dummy the kick [on the fifth tackle] and look to run it when you have got the opportunity'. So give all the credit to Mooks for telling me to run it."
The English made a mistake in their first set of the second half, giving the Kiwis an attacking chance deep in their territory. On the last tackle, Nikorima looped around to receive the ball on the blindside. He was about to kick, before Kearney's advice came into his head.
"I tried it out," said Nikorima. "It didn't come off at first (Nikorima was caught by a covering defender) but I managed to get the ball free. To Tohu's credit he had great hands and he slipped it on to SKD."
Tohu Harris' catch and pass defied the laws of physics; Standing 1.95m, he somehow got down to snare the pass close to the grass, then held it with the tips of his fingers centimetres from the turf. The back rower then showed great awareness to slip the ball - almost netball style - under the English winger's outstretched arms to Kenny Dowall.
"His hands were excellent, especially for a big fella," said Nikorima. "It was one of those big moments in a game."
Kodi Nikorima has revealed that the planned move for the Kiwis match-winning try was cooked up at halftime, with timely input from coach Stephen Kearney.
The Kiwis won the second test 9-2 on Saturday (Sunday morning NZT) to set up a decider next week in Wigan.
However, the game was locked 2-2 at halftime and as they sat in the Olympic Stadium dressing rooms, the Kiwis were remaining positive, albeit slightly frustrated.
They had dominated the half - bar a brief English spell in the closing minutes - but had failed to convert any chances.
It was a dangerous situation - often the failure to bank any points on the back of possession and territory can prove costly later - and the Kiwis had mixed feelings.
"We were feeling good, we had laid a platform," said Nikorima. "But we knew the game was still there for the taking."
The role of a modern day coach at halftime differs. Some spend the period speaking to the team, others just observe, looking for a vibe from certain individuals. Kearney let his senior players do some talking, before seeking out Nikorima.
"We spoke about what we might do at halftime," said Nikorima. "`Mooks' (Kearney) came over and sat down. He said to me - 'dummy the kick [on the fifth tackle] and look to run it when you have got the opportunity'. So give all the credit to Mooks for telling me to run it."
The English made a mistake in their first set of the second half, giving the Kiwis an attacking chance deep in their territory. On the last tackle, Nikorima looped around to receive the ball on the blindside. He was about to kick, before Kearney's advice came into his head.
"I tried it out," said Nikorima. "It didn't come off at first (Nikorima was caught by a covering defender) but I managed to get the ball free. To Tohu's credit he had great hands and he slipped it on to SKD."
Tohu Harris' catch and pass defied the laws of physics; Standing 1.95m, he somehow got down to snare the pass close to the grass, then held it with the tips of his fingers centimetres from the turf. The back rower then showed great awareness to slip the ball - almost netball style - under the English winger's outstretched arms to Kenny Dowall.
"His hands were excellent, especially for a big fella," said Nikorima. "It was one of those big moments in a game."
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