League: Anzac series will be 'war'

The deal to retain Brian McClennan as Kiwis coach may take some weeks to iron out, but it is in the back of his mind.

In the forefront is the date May 5, when he gets another crack at the Australian Kangaroos, at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane.

"I'm dreaming it already," he said this week. In calling an early season camp for 44 prospective Kangaroos players, new coach Ricky Stuart had "fired the first shots".

"I can't think of the next tri-series let alone further ahead than that," was McClennan's reply when asked whether he intended to sign through to the All Golds tour and World Cup of 2008. "I have May 5 firmly planted in my mind. It's going to be a war."

McClennan knows he upset the natural order of things for the Aussies with wins in Sydney and in the Tri-Nations final last year. The calling of a camp by Stuart confirmed the wound was deep - they haven't done that in donkey's years.

"We'll watch the Kangaroos, we'll watch what Ricky does and we'll listen to what Gus Gould says because what Gus Gould says, Ricky will take onto the field," he said of the Roosters coaching duo. "We'll know a lot more about them than they'll know about us."

McClennan has had offers from overseas clubs since his Tri-Nations success but none in the last two months. Having turned early approaches away and declared he wasn't ready for the grind of the NRL, he's still an interested observer of coaching changes in the big leagues in Australia and England.

The latest is at Stacey Jones' new club, Les Catalans Dragons, where Steve Deakin has been sacked just weeks from their Super League season start against Wigan. Les Catalans have lost their two pre-season trials, 46-6 to Harlequins and 24-10 to Hull. There may also be an opening at Newcastle, with five-year coach Michael Hagan having been told he won't be retained past 2006 and then signing with Parramatta. "Maybe those clubs [in turmoil] are not the sort of club you'd want to apply yourself to."

He said he hated the drag of contractual negotiations, with lawyers for the New Zealand Rugby League yet to finalise details and McClennan then to take advice himself, both legal and from friends, before going back to the league. "It doesn't mean I'm not working. I'm being paid and I'm getting things together for May 5."

The players would be "pleasantly surprised" by what he had in store for the build-up, which will again be on the Gold Coast.

He has more time to prepare for this test than he did for the 2005 Tri-Nations and the fact the Australian nest is stirred makes the prospect of the 2006 Anzac test that much more exciting.

"They had their immortals players along to speak to the team. They're desperate to get back on top, it's setting up a juicy contest."

This weekend marks the start of the local league season. The national sevens tournament is at North Harbour Stadium, and all 10 Bartercard Cup teams are involved as well as the Defence Force and last year's Auckland champions, Manurewa. McClennan is contracted to coach the Mt Albert Lions again but his assistant for the 13-man game, Brett Gemmell, will run the sevens team. The Bartercard side had its first training this week, with the Marist and Richmond clubs that formed the Brothers side now also folded into a central Auckland franchise.

McClennan said he learned much from his club experiences that transferred to the Kiwis. This year it would be the politics of inclusion, settling a squad of 26 from all the feeder clubs and keeping them enthused while also managing the release of players to Auckland Fox Memorial competition sides. He puts everything into the club job. "I just love coaching, I love the atmosphere of the dressing room."

He gets useful feedback from all players. He learns how to get his message across.

"It helps a lot with the Kiwis. You get into the habit of pitching the main points, breaking things down and condensing it. With the test team we'll get five days ahead of the Anzac game, you can't throw in too much, you have to break it down."

McClennan said he had learned plenty from the finals games he had had teams in, including the third-grade Auckland final via which his Hibiscus Coast side was promoted towards the Bartercard. "You spend all year with people, you put pressure on yourself so you don't let them down. It's good pressure."

The Lions were ravaged by injury during last year's Bartercard finals series, forcing the call-up of young players and the recall of prop Hamish Read who hadn't trained with the team for eight weeks due to injury.

"Hamish was called in on Saturday morning ahead of Sunday's game and he played a blinder for us in the last 20 minutes."

The winning outcome gave him confidence that the Kiwis would adjust when Benji Marshall, Sonny Bill Williams, Matt Utai, Dene Halatau and Jason Cayless were progressively ruled out of the Tri-Nations tour.

"It gives you the courage to try things, to think outside the square."

Things that worked at Mt Albert gave him the confidence to try the switch between Shontayne Hape and Paul Whatuira at lock during the England leg of the series.

"There are things I might try with the Lions this season that could transfer to the Kiwis. Little, simple things."

And with both the Lions and the Kiwis, there will be no talk of defending titles.

"Those trophies we won, they're in the attic now. We don't defend titles, we attack them."

The year 2006 was a new challenge for the two-time champion Lions and for the Kiwis.

"We start on the same line as everyone else. The only players I want at Mt Albert are the ones prepared to roll their sleeves up."

McClennan expects Marshall, Williams and others who were ruled out last year to be itching for a Kiwis spot and predicts hot competition. He's not ruling out using a young newcomer such as the younger Anderson brother, Frazer, who has startled the Broncos in pre-season training.

And players from England are firmly in the frame. "We'll pick the best, doesn't matter if they're playing in China."

McClennan felt good for the Kiwis of old.

"Everyone who ever represented their country will know that we now put out a team we can all be proud of. There's no reason we can't beat the Aussies again."