KEY POINTS:
New Zealand rugby league coach Gary Kemble has been assured his job is safe regardless of the Kiwis' result against France on Sunday (NZ time).
Kemble's position was thought to be on the line if the Kiwis failed to win the final game of their European tour following a series whitewash by Great Britain and a record defeat by Australia.
But the Kiwis coach told NZPA today the New Zealand Rugby League (NZRL) has guaranteed that he and his coaching team will have a chance to continue developing the current squad.
"They've told me that they're fully behind me," he said.
"They've said there's not going to be any changes at all.
"They understand the circumstances coming into it and they've been here around me and seen the way I work."
With a number of senior players unavailable through injury and other retired, Kemble has been forced to start over with an inexperienced squad.
Only six members of his 24-man squad came into the tour with more than 10 test appearances and young winger Shaun Kenny-Dowall, who has been handed his test debut against France, will become Kemble's 10th debutant in just five tests in charge.
While results have been disappointing, Kemble believes the new coaching team are creating a legacy that will benefit the Kiwis for years to come.
"In my lifetime, this is the first time I know of a Kiwi team going away with a brand-new team," he said.
"Only four players that came on this tour played in the Anzac test and Great Britain have built to their side over the last couple of seasons.
"We've played against a formidable Great Britain side and in two tests we lost by six points with a brand-new team.
"We've worked on players we think are going to be part of the scene of the next couple of seasons and we know the players that are maybe not up to that level at this stage.
"I've done all I can to try to produce some players that are going to be here for a long time.
"We believe we've done that and that we're creating depth in positions. We know that, the critics don't, but that's up to them.
"All that goes over my head now."
Although a win over France would ease the pressure on Kemble, he is more concerned with his team having something to cheer following a challenging tour.
"It's the players really that need a win," he said.
"They deserve a win after the last week-and-a-half.
"They've worked really hard and they thought they deserved a win last weekend with the way they trained and produced on the field."
- NZPA
