Rugby League World Cup: David Kidwell takes aim at Jason Taumalolo

Kiwis coach David Kidwell during the New Zealand Kiwi's Rugby League Team training. Photo / Peter Meecham

Kiwis coach David Kidwell has opened up about star player Jason Taumalolo ditching New Zealand for Tonga on the eve of the Rugby League World Cup.

Taumalolo threw the Kiwis World Cup plans into disarray earlier this week, when he made the shock announcement to play for Tonga - together with David Fusitu'a, Manu Ma'u and Sio Siua Taukeiaho - rather than New Zealand at the upcoming tournament.

On the eve of the Kiwis opening game against Samoa, Kidwell has told the Courier Mail that it was disappointed that the Cowboys second rower didn't give him a heads up before changing nations.

"The issue I have is I would have liked Jason to tell me to my face (that he didn't want to play for New Zealand)," Kidwell told the newspaper.

"I can understand why he wanted to play for Tonga and represent his heritage but I just wished he showed me some respect.

"I found out that he wanted to play for Tonga from a third party. He never told me - I still haven't heard from him or spoken to him.

"I'm not going to have any ill-feeling towards Jason but if he explained things to me, I would have at least sat down and said, 'OK, what are your reasons?'.

"I would never step in someone's way of representing another country if that player doesn't feel connected to the New Zealand jumper.

Kidwell told the Courier Mail it remains unclear if Taumalolo has an issue with the current Kiwis set-up.

"I still don't know why he doesn't want to play for us," he said.

"If he has an issue with me, I'm not aware of it. I coached Jason when he was in the Junior Kiwis.

"If there is an issue, I just wanted him to see me and tell me how he was feeling. I'm an open book. I'm not closed. I'd like to think I have a mindset where I listen to people.

"It won't be up to me whether Jason plays for New Zealand again. It won't be the selectors either.

"It will be players. I'm trying to shape our culture at the moment and they are the ones driving it."

"I have 24 guys in this team now who feel they belong to the Kiwis and will play for the jumper. That's the attitude I want."