Stacey Jones and Nathan Cayless coach the Kiwis who will play the Kangaroos in Christchurch on Sunday. Photo / Getty Images
Stacey Jones and Nathan Cayless coach the Kiwis who will play the Kangaroos in Christchurch on Sunday. Photo / Getty Images
Kiwis coach Stacey Jones will have to defy a remarkable statistic to achieve success against Australia on Sunday in Christchurch.
While Jones is already dealing with the challenge of a depleted squad – without a lot of prominent players from recent campaigns – the new coach will also have to defy the weight of history.
Across more than a century of transtasman clashes, only four Kiwis coaches have trumped Australia at their first attempt. Beating the Kangaroos has always been a tough ask – dating back to the first test match in 1908 – but even tougher for a new mentor.
It’s been a rare achievement, with only Des White (1961), Tony Gordon (1987), Brian McClennan (2005) and Michael Maguire (2018) managing the feat. Many other legendary coaching names – such as Jim Amos, Lory Blanchard, Ces Mountford, Sir Graham Lowe, Frank Endacott and Stephen Kearney – were thwarted in their first meeting with the Kangaroos.
The victories under White, Gordon, McClennan and Maguire have a special place in New Zealand league folklore.
Maguire had to rebuild after the disastrous 2017 World Cup campaign. His first test was in Denver against England in June 2018 – a brave and bizarre mid-season, before facing the Kangaroos four months later at Mt Smart.
Rookies such as Brandon Smith and Joseph Manu were sensational, captain Dallin Watene-Zelezniak had his best match for his country and the Kiwis pack – with four interchange forwards – laid the platform for halves Shaun Johnson and Kodi Nikorima in the 26-24 win.
Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and teammates celebrate a try to Brandon Smith in the Kiwis' success over the Kangaroos in 2018. Photo / Andrew Cornaga / www.photosport.nz
The 2005 victory under McClennan was unforgettable. The rookie coach was without the likes of Sonny Bill Williams, Benji Marshall and Thomas Leuluai and taking on master coach Wayne Bennett, whose team featured Darren Lockyer and Andrew Johns in the halves. But the Kiwis were inspired by McClennan’s “Bully the Bully” theme, while veterans Jones, Ruben Wiki and Nigel Vagana provided superb leadership in the stunning 38-28 win, which broke a Kiwis’ drought in Sydney going back 46 years.
In 1987, Gordon masterminded one of the biggest boilovers in international league history. A surprise choice to succeed Lowe, Gordon was without Mark Graham, Kevin Tamati and the Sorensen brothers. His team that took the field at Lang Park had 10 players drawn from domestic football, including Gary Mercer, Kevin Iro and Shane Cooper and only five players picked from England or the Winfeld Cup.
The Kangaroos, nicknamed the “Invincibles” after their unbeaten 20-match tour of Britain and France the year before, had icons such as Wally Lewis, Peter Sterling, Brett Kenny and Wayne Pearce – but the Kiwis, captained by Hugh McGahan, shocked their highly-rated counterparts in a 13-6 win.
White’s triumph came at Carlaw Park, with fullback Gary Phillips slotting a late field goal for an 11-10 win. The result was built on a massive defensive effort, as the Ron Ackland-led team kept the line intact during the second half.
Every other Kiwis coach has had to wait longer for success against the Kangaroos, while for some it never came. Jones will be afforded some leeway, given the drastically reshaped team from last year’s epic 30-0 triumph in Hamilton under Maguire.
Shaun Johnson celebrates after the Kiwis beat Australia in the 2015 Four Nations final. Photo / Photosport
There will still be hope the Kiwis can pull off a shock upset and their forward pack will ask questions, led by captain James Fisher-Harris and Joseph Tapine. But it is one of the most inexperienced spines in modern Kiwis history, with a fullback (Keano Kini) and hooker (Phoenix Crossland) on debut and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad playing his first test at five eighth.
Using a non-specialist at No 6 is bold but has been done before, from Dave Watson in the 1980s to Tohu Harris a decade ago. Jones may have also recalled the 2005 example, when Vagana, who had played his whole career as a centre or wing, was a surprise selection in the halves and key to the eventual Tri-Nations triumph. Nicoll-Klokstad has been picked for his defensive capability and physical presence, which also allows Nikorima to back up Crossland at dummy half.
“I guess defence is probably the main one,” said Nicoll-Klokstad. “I’m looking forward to being in the front line and getting amongst all of the boys.”
But it will increase the focus on Shaun Johnson. As well as most of the playmaking, he will also be responsible for all kicking in general play and is sure to be targeted by the Kangaroos. Johnson wasn’t mean to be here – after retiring at the end of the NRL season – but has the experience of 32 tests, dating back to 2012. He has faced Australia 14 times and been part of four memorable wins, including the 2014 Four Nations final and the 2015 Anzac test in Brisbane.
“He knows it’s the end of his career,” said Jones. “And I just said to him, ‘Look, you’ve just got to enjoy it. Your experience will get you through and the rest of the players will thrive off what you bring. At the back end of the season for the Warriors he showed some really good signs of having a clear thought around how he wanted to play but also bringing back the enjoyment.
“He knows the level of play that he needs to be at. Shaun is doing it for his country. He’s doing it for this group of players, he’s doing it for himself and his family. He’s really thriving being in the group and he wants to deliver a performance.”
