League: We'll match Roos' passion, says coach

SYDNEY - Just a day after new Australian league coach Ricky Stuart vowed to bring more passion to the Kangaroos jersey, Kiwi mentor Brian McClennan countered with a warning of his own: "If they have some pent-up anger, they should see ours."

McClennan, who masterminded New Zealand's stunning 24-0 Tri-Nations final triumph to end Australia's 27-year domination at international level, said matching the desire of the Kangaroos wouldn't be a problem in next year's Anzac test.

"We will come out pretty fired up ourselves," McClennan said yesterday.

"Australian league, they are hurt because they lost one year - we've been losing for years.

"If they have some pent-up anger, they should see ours.

"We've been copping it for years. As fired up as they'll be, we'll be fired up just as much if not more."

McClennan welcomed the announcement of Stuart as Kangaroos coach, saying the appointment signalled Australia's commitment to the international game.

"The big thing here with Ricky Stuart being appointed is that he turned down State of Origin to coach Australia - that's a pretty powerful statement for international rugby league," he said.

"People in Australia perceive we have a real international competition now.

"Isn't that fantastic - we are going to fight like hell against each other.

Former Kiwi Dean Lonergan recently described McClennan as a coach who "thinks like a professor but communicates like a tradesman", but the man himself said he wasn't ready to coach in the NRL - at least not next year.

"I want to coach the NRL one day but if I ever did that I want to feel that I could go on and win a premiership, I don't just want to make up the numbers," said McClennan, who will continue to coach Mt Albert in the Bartercard Cup next year.

"First I have to prove to myself I'm not a one-year wonder.

"I have to question if I would be up to it next year, and I'd have to say no.

"I think 2007 would be better because then I will be closer to being ready.

"I've got so much to improve on, I feel I can get a lot better than this."

McClennan, who rejected requests to also take on the Kiwis' high performance and developmental roles, stopped short of calling New Zealand world champions.

"We were geniuses for one day, that's as far as I'll go," he said of the Tri-Nations final.

Reminded he also beat the Kangaroos in the series opener in Sydney, he quipped: "We were geniuses for that day too.

"I think we won the right to be called the best team in 2005."

- AAP