New Zealand coach Stephen Kearney has come out swinging in defence of his team selection for Friday’s Trans-Tasman Test against Australia at Allianz Stadium.
Kearney bristled at suggestions he’s shown disregard for the international game by fielding six debutants and axing star prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves in addition to overlooking his Sydney Rosters teammates Shaun Kenny-Dowall, Sonny Bill Williams and Frank-Paul Nuuausala.
The Kiwis are also without the injured Issac Luke, Kieran Foran, Elijah Taylor, Frank Pritchard and Manu Vatuvei and been given little to no chance of ending their 16-year wait for a victory in this fixture.
“How would we be disrespecting the game?” Kearney said on Thursday.
“All we have done is go through a selection process; we don’t disrespect our jumper.
“We understand there has been negativity, but we’re getting the chance to go out and play for our country.
“The guys going out there for us will do a wonderful job and play with a great deal of energy.”
Earlier in the week Kearney refused to elaborate on reasons for the axing of so many members of the squad that flopped in the World Cup final defeat to Australia.
But he finally admitted on Friday that form was the reason for those left out and said the players he’d picked were playing better than those left out – including Kenny-Dowall who’s scored three tries in his last two games.
“When you talk about form, Dean Whare and Roger Tuivasa-Shek were the best right-edged combination in the (World Cup) tournament,” he said.
“Jason Nightingale’s form this year has been outstanding and so has Gerard Beale, I can’t pick everyone.
“No-one’s card is marked forever and if Shaun is playing as well later in the year he’ll be involved in the Four Nations.”
Waerea-Hargreaves said this week he was upset to not have been told of his omission personally by Kearney.
But the coach said he would get around to speaking to the players left out after the game.
“I will talk to Jared this week as I will a number of other players,” he said.
“If I rang every single player that missed out on a Kiwi jumper my phone bill would be very high.
“We’ve picked a side on form.”
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