Chris Rattue: The masterminds who ended hoodoo

The Kiwis' humbling of the Kangaroos will be remembered for many years, and hopefully beyond the joy of another sugary hit and into the nourishing satisfaction of a genuine and continuing test series rivalry.

Let victory be the norm, is one of new coach Brian McClennan's aims, so that tests receive a much-needed revival. We can live in hope, even if it is a splinter of light alongside the State of Origin thunder.

The magnificent 38-28 victory broke a Kiwis Sydney hoodoo at odds with so many New Zealanders having made that city their home. It could also be the moment when test league begins to climb back up the mountain.

The options now open to the Kiwis' selectors, the powerful currents of player development that lie beneath the wave that swamped Australia, and the rare coaching talent of McClennan and his lieutenant, Graeme "Natty" Norton, are an encouraging mix.

The league world - a suburb compared to rugby and soccer - desperately needs hostility between the neighbours.

One test victory is a decent but well-rehearsed trick. A series of defeats for Australia, who have not lost a series or tournament since 1978, would be magic.

Hold the Tri-Nations horses for now, however.

McClennan's coaching mantra about players is: "It's not what you say, it's what they hear."

Anyone who has been within six tackles of a league match will know there are no better receivers of information than Australia. They have responded to test defeats in the past three decades with ruthless efficiency.

There is, though, a different feel to the international game now, primarily because so many New Zealand-eligible players are emerging with Australian clubs.

The Kiwis operated without major talent on Saturday - Benji Marshall, Sonny Bill Williams and all - yet beat an Australian side guided by legends Andrew Johns and Darren Lockyer.

These Kiwis have a resilient and confident air to them. This vibrant core stems in part from McClennan and Norton, 40-plus men who are a strange brew of the old days and new age.

Both have an exuberance, a wild-eyed almost youthful air: Norton was sporting a bleached mop at Telstra Stadium, although McClennan would be happy with any mop at all. Both also come from the heart of New Zealand's league stronghold in Auckland.

They have clung on, even thrived, despite league's low domestic profile - Norton was once set to be the Kiwi coach, then, through lack of opportunity, ended up in charge of his kid's team.

McClennan turned third division non-entity Hibiscus Coast into national champions, and his family have courageously coped with the serious illness of wife Julie.

McClennan and Norton are stayers, not quitters. McClennan also refused to quit when Stacey Jones remained unavailable. McClennan told Jones he would camp outside his house if that's what it took.

Jones returned after others such as manager Peter Leitch and captain Ruben Wiki backed McClennan's plea.

The Kiwis' catchcry this week - Kaizen - came directly from McClennan and Norton's love of food for thought.

Kaizen is a Japanese management concept based around making small improvements every day, a willingness to change, and keeping employees involved. Players referred to using this call after the victory. (Coincidence maybe, but Nigel Vagana's three-pronged goatee was a la an ancient Asian philosopher.)

Where did the Kiwi-Kaizen link come from? Hibiscus Coast, would you believe. McClennan and Norton held a meeting near the Kiwi coach's home at a cafe named Kaizen. Like Oliver Twist, they asked for more - information.

This confidence to explore is rooted in friendship and long-held respect. Norton was a Northcote man who Gary Freeman described as a player so unpredictable that he, Norton, did not know his next move.

Norton switched to Mt Albert for a season - playing reserve grade - so as to discover what was behind the Lions' success. McClennan's father Mike was the inspiration who had turned second-division Mt Albert into the 1980s club powerhouse.

Later, the McClennans hopped over the bridge to Norton's territory, further fuelling Northcote's growing fire.

Saturday night's performance has proved their work works at the highest level.

From the charges of Frank Pritchard, Lance Hohaia's dummy-half runs, the rejuvenated Clinton Toopi and the calm of rookie wings, the coaching duo injected confidence and pattern so the Kiwis' skill and aggression could flourish, admittedly with some glaring errors thrown in.

The McClennans have a 100 per cent Kiwis playing and coaching record against Australia, for now.

Mike "Blue Max" McClennan played one test when the Kiwis shocked Australia 24-3 at Carlaw Park in 1971. This was a momentous year for the Kiwis, yet heralded a dark decade

Brian "Bluey" McClennan is planning on finding more light.