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How significant was the Kiwis’ win against Australia on Sunday? Well, it was big for New Zealand rugby league but also for Test football in general.
All of a sudden, British media are talking up the Kiwis’ end of year Test series and the Kangaroos are being scrutinised like a normal professional team.
In rugby league’s small international pool, wins over Australia are the only currency that will attract their own public’s attention. Another Kangaroo victory? Ho hum.
Now it is up to England to get their elusive win. Great Britain (as they were known prior to 2008) managed a 26-12 win over the Kangaroos in Sydney in 2006, but since then, there have been mostly dark days.
Last year’s narrow loss to Australia in Melbourne – where a fingertip by winger Ryan Hall could have reversed the result on full-time – was their best performance in years, and a greater influx of British talent into the NRL bodes well. Now, next year’s Four Nations takes on huge importance as the most significant of all four previous incarnations.
But back to the Kiwis. A year ago, certain members of the Australian media were rude enough to question whether coach Stephen Kearney’s rookie selections for the mid-season Test against the Kangaroos was “cheapening Test football”. Kearney did the brave thing by starting a fresh team and fresh culture. That’s true leadership: making the tough decisions. It took plenty of guts and self-belief. Now, his Kiwi team has both in spades.
After becoming the youngest New Zealand Test captain at 21, Kearney quickly learnt about leadership and what it took to be a full-time professional. His mild-mannered approach blends nicely with his choice of skipper too – Simon Mannering. Under this duo, this New Zealand team stay humble, don’t get ahead of themselves and no longer fear Australia.
With Thomas Leuluai – whose first Test victory came in 2003 against the Kangaroos – and Manu Vatuvei – who was part of the victorious Tri-Nations campaign in 2005 – Mannering has players who understand how to win, along with a new breed of confident youngsters.
Three wins against Australia may not seem particularly noteworthy to the casual observer, yet considering that it was last done by a Kiwi team in 1952-53, just before Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest, shows how hard the Australians are to beat.
Unfortunately France are still a way behind the ‘Big Three’ of Australia, New Zealand and England, however the Pacific Island nations continue to put in encouraging performances. Tonga, Samoa and Fiji all put on great shows over the weekend, and Papua New Guinea now has great structures in place throughout schools and across the country as a bridge into the NRL.
With newly appointed Rugby League International Federation chief-executive officer David Collier in control, hopefully we can finally start to see what international rugby league could be – a highly watched, competitive and exciting programme each year.
Now we just need more Test matches.
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