It’s not yet time to hit the panic button for Kiwis fans, even if the group stages of the Rugby League World Cup provided more questions than answers.
This New Zealand side were touted as one of the best to ever leave these shores, with a formidable forwardpack, a potentially brilliant spine and the undoubted x-factor of Joseph Manu.
They were even talked up as tournament favourites, though that was always a bit whimsical and patriotic, given Australia’s tournament pedigree and massive pool of players.
But the Kiwis have yet to fire, only displaying what they can do in fits and starts. Coach Michael Maguire admitted their attack was “clunky” in the disjointed 34-12 win over Lebanon to open the tournament two weeks ago, then he and halfback Jahrome Hughes used the same adjective around Sunday’s 48-10 victory over Ireland, as they failed to make the most of a massive advantage in possession and territory.
In contrast Australia has looked on song from the outset, in impressive displays against Fiji, Scotland and Italy. England have also barely put on a foot wrong, while Tonga have been building nicely and showed their mettle with a 92-10 drubbing of the Cook Islands on Tuesday.
But two of those teams have the advantage of continuity. The Kangaroos are built around State of Origin combinations — with 15 interstate matches since the last World Cup — while England has the bones of the team that reached the 2017 final and played several times during the Covid period. Even Tonga has had a fairly settled line-up since the last World Cup.
The Kiwis were always going to take a bit longer to find their groove, given the changes in combinations over the last few years. Shaun Johnson and Kodi Nikorima were the principal playmakers in the first two years under Maguire, while Benji Marshall also had some cameo appearances.
This New Zealand team will also be more suited to knockout football and the tougher test it provides.
They have looked out of sync in the last three weeks, partly because they have strayed from their natural game plan.
It is one of the biggest challenges when facing lesser opponents, especially in league or rugby, when you suddenly have way more possession, time and space than normal. Bad habits can creep in, standards can drop and mentalities can soften.
That shouldn’t be an issue for Sunday’s quarter-final against Fiji (8:30am) — or any subsequent games — and psychologically these matches will be easier to prepare for, given the win or bust nature and the harder edge that opponents will provide, as it will force the Kiwis to sharpen up.
Maguire also needs to settle on his best combination, especially in the backline, with ongoing competition at centre and wing.
Goal kicking is an undoubted issue, without an easy fix, after the disappointing efforts against Jamaica and Ireland. It’s a skill that can only be honed and perfected over time, with repetitive practice in pressure situations and there aren’t any obvious contenders in this squad, with the absence of Johnson, Jamayne Isaako and Nikorima.
They have to hope that Jordan Rapana — probably the best of the part timers — finds his groove in the short term and the lack of a specialist kicker doesn’t prove costly in a tight contest.
Overall, the nagging feeling remains that this Kiwis side just need a spark and they could be a team transformed. It’s the kind of thing that can come from a true ‘blood and thunder’ style contest — with the intangible mix of adrenaline, emotion, passion and being pushed to the limit — and could happen this weekend.
