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The right team and tactics can help the New Zealand Kiwis take down the Australian juggernaut
A new era of Test football has arrived. The Australian dominance is over, interrupted by a New Zealand emergence that provides the Kiwis an opportunity to win four consecutive matches for the first time in 63 years.
Unfortunately, as we saw in England throughout last year’s series, this in not the full strength team that has been such a force in recent times.
While the Australian team fields a relatively full-strength squad minus Billy Slater and Will Chambers, the New Zealand selection process has centreed around who’s available more-so than who’s in form. To say they are missing some important pieces would be some kind of an understatement.
Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Kieran Foran, Simon Mannering, Dean Whare, Jared Waerea-Hargraves will all miss through injury. Form (or behaviour) costs the spots of Ben Matulino, Issac Luke, Manu Vatuvei and Benji Marshall – a long list.
The lack of depth is without doubt a dent to the confidence, however not all hope is lost. There is definite potential in the squad that’s been named, laced with attacking flair and a mix of both youth and veteran leadership that could trouble the Australian side.
With only a squad being named at this point, step one is to select the best 17 to take down the star studded kangaroos. Among the 19-man squad, there is variety of options considering both the versatility of the players and the spots that need to be covering.
The team
1. Hiku
2. Kahu
3. Kenny-Dowall
4. Glenn
5. Watene-Zelezniak
6. Harris
7. Johnson
8. Bromwich
9. Brown
10. Blair
11. Proctor
12. Ma’u
13. Taumalolo
14. Nikorima
15. Moa
16. Eastwood
17. Tapau
The backs
Peter Hiku is the best available option with no primary fullback available and the other options lacking the experience or ability at the back. Outside of Tohu Harris and Shaun Johnson he will provide a strong combination of both playmaking and running game.
With the size and ball running Australia has opted for in the centres with Josh Dugan and Greg Inglis, it is essential to have the necessary defensive ability to stop their counterparts.
With the lack of depth this is a problem area and where Dean Whare, one of, if not the finest defensive three-quarters in the league, is really missed.
Shaun Kenny-Dowall is a proven veteran with 17 Tests under his belt, and Glenn’s versatility allows him to slide over a spot to fill in the left centre void.
This pairing has the size, 102kg and 100kg respectively, and tackling ability to stop the power running game from the outside taking a toll on the Kiwi defensive line. This needs to be an area of priority for New Zealand and they can’t afford to select anyone in those two positions who is at all considered inexperienced or a defensive liability.
Also, at 194cm SKD provides a great high-ball target from this spot.
The two options for the wing have put up nearly identical numbers over the season, Dallin Watene-Zelezniak replaces Jason Nightingale due to his more explosive offensive potential.
Jordan Kahu rightfully takes his right wing spot in great form for the Broncos.
Playmakers
Tohu Harris makes an interesting case for the no. 6 jersey, he has started there before and obviously has the ball playing ability to double as a playmaker, and with Johnson running the show he won’t be require to handle the ball too much anyway.
His defence is a big boost for the fringe as is his running ability.
Lewis Brown just gets the nod at hooker above Kodi Nikorima due to his better defensive ability and size, which could be a big problem for Kodi considering he’s only had the one start at hooker.
This is with the sole intention of weathering the early storm of the Australian forward pack, with Nikorima to come on with an big impact and get the bulk of the minutes, and Brown being able to fill the forwards or centre spot. Most likely Kodi will get the nod here.
Forwards
The forward pack is the headline strength of this Kiwis team, with the welcome return of Jason Taumololo at lock capping off a world class pack. It’s tempting to start Martin Tapau on the left, however he will serve fantastically as an impact player off the bench with Manu Ma’u, on the back of his great form with Parramatta grabbing the starting on the left with the job of containing Matt Gillett.
Ma’u has been the Eels’ best forward and is absolutely tenacious with ball in hand. His energy will be useful early in the contest.
Kevin Proctor, Adam Blair and Jesse Bromwich practically pick themselves, all putting up career-best performances this season. The bench covers the entire range of the forward positions with Moa filling the back up prop spot and Greg Eastwood and Tapau able to fill any void in the forwards and providing a really explosive impact.
Opportunity
While this is the most capped Test team Australia has fielded, the team that will line-up on May 6 hasn’t played a ton of games together. The Roos played one Test last year, and while some of the squad has remained constant and the added Origin games brings some familiarity, there will be a feeling out process before the squad really gels.
This is not the case for NZ, with majority of the squad remaining intact, there will be plenty of acquaintance when the team takes the park.
With this in mind, starting strong is of the highest priority if the Kiwis want to dictate the pace early. To do that, New Zealand will have to be strong defensively, especially in the middle of the park.
The middle third is where the Kiwis may even have a slight advantage talent-wise. New skipper Bromwich has risen to become the best front rower in the league and will be looking to carry his form into the game leading a very strong yet extremely mobile pack.
A potential mismatch that could be an area of target is Proctor matching up against Papalii on the right edge. Papalii is a fantastic defender, but may have trouble dealing with the agility and speed of Proctor’s game.
Likewise, across the entire pack New Zealand will need to try and get the go forward moving early in the sets to have an opportunity at moving these forwards around and create space for Johnson who will need to lead from the front.
The Kiwi outfit always comes out determined to put up a fight, and a big performance will be needed to overcome this Kangaroos squad.
New Zealand currently sit as distant outsiders for the May 6 fixture, so these stars will need to be best on field if they are to get within a shot of causing an upset.
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