League: Nikau shows interest in Kiwis job

Tawera Nikau watching his Waicoa Stallions side in action. His coaching ambitions are now to handle the Kiwis. Picture / Bay of Plenty Times

Tawera Nikau has put his name forward to take over Daniel Anderson's job as the Kiwis' rugby league coach.

If he is successful, New Zealand Warriors star halfback Stacey Jones is likely to return to international football and he would have such assistants as former Australian coach Chris Anderson, Kevin Tamati, Terry Hermansson and Tea Ropati, Nikau said today.

Daniel Anderson announced last night that he was taking up a contract with leading English club St Helens, leaving this year's tri-nations series against Australia and Great Britain in the hands of a new coach.

Nikau said he had spoken to Jones and Chris Anderson and had done his homework before deciding to put his name forward for the job.

The former Kiwis and National Rugby League star, who lost a leg in a motorcycle accident three years ago, is coach of Waicoa Bay, who are struggling in New Zealand Bartercard Cup competition.

"I've spoken to Stacey and he said that if he was fit and happy with his form at the end of the season he would review his decision.

"I think it would be a fitting send-off and the way a player like Stacey Jones deserves to go out," Nikau said of the Tri-Nations tournament.

Jones, who will be playing in France after the Warriors' season, announced his retirement from international football earlier this year.

Chris Anderson, who was sacked by Cronulla after his return from the 2003 Kangaroos tour of Europe and subsequently lost the Australian job, has been enlisted by Nikau as part of the team to prepare the Kiwis for their their opening Tri-Nations match against the Kangaroos in October.

"It won't be his fulltime job, just part-time," Nikau said.

"I've got a good relationship with Chris going back to when I played under him at Melbourne, so I gave him a ring and he said he'd be happy to come on board."

"It will be great to have his experience and after what happened in Australia I think he might have a bit of an axe to grind."

Daniel Anderson is understood to have recommended he be succeeded by one of his two assistant, Brian McClennan or James Leuluai, or both.

Tamati will be best remembered in Australia for brawling on the sideline at Lang Park with Greg Dowling after both had been sent off.

Hermansson and Ropati are also former Kiwis and will play mentor roles.

Chris Anderson's comeback would be equally significant after his five-year tenure in charge of the Kangaroos ended when he was replaced last season by arch rival Wayne Bennett.

Anderson, who until this month had been coaching rugby union in Wales, suffered a heart attack during the third test of the 2002 series against Great Britain but has now recovered.

"I'm sure that Chris would love nothing better than beating the Aussies," Nikau told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"But the job's not fulltime so there wouldn't be too much pressure on his health.

"I'm looking at having Kevin Tamati work in development as well as helping to provide passion, pride and mana in the Kiwis jersey but Chris' role would be more specific.

"Chris has been in charge of a couple of Kangaroo tours and he played a long time for his country so he would obviously be able to offer us a great insight into how they do things and what makes the Aussies so hard to beat.

"Some people are saying that I'm only in my second year of coaching but I feel that I have a lot to offer, especially with Chris Anderson and Kevin Tamati on my team and the relationship I have with the players."

Nikau played 19 tests for the Kiwis but was unavailable in the later stages after a personal conflict with another player.

"It's a different issue. I've got my reasons -- the story has been told many a times. We have to move on," he said.

- NZPA