Rugby League World Cup Preview: New Zealand

At The Sporting Base, we will be previewing all 16 Rugby League World Cup nations ahead of the men’s tournament’s kick-off on 15 October. We wrap up Group C by looking at tournament heavyweights New Zealand and whether a 2008 repeat is on the cards for their stacked squad.

IRL Ranking: 1st

Group: C

Schedule: Lebanon (Halliwell Jones Stadium, Warrington); Jamaica (MKM Stadium, Hull); Ireland (Headingley Stadium, Leeds)

World Cup Appearances: 15 (1954, 1957, 1960, 1968, 1970, 1972, 1975, 1977, 1985-88, 1989-92, 1995, 2000, 2008, 2013, 2017)

Best Result: Champions (2008)

Head Coach: Michael Maguire

Title Odds: $5.00

The Kiwis enter the World Cup with the second-shortest odds to take home the Paul Barrière Trophy and will prove a tall task for whichever teams they match up against.

Given the way that the bracket has shaken up, fans hoping for an Australia-New Zealand final – the tournament’s two shortest-priced favourites – are out of luck with the Kiwis likely needing to knock the Australians out prior to the winner-take-all final at Old Trafford.

The Kiwis marked their long-awaited return to the international rugby league scene with a 26-6 win over Tonga in Auckland in June – their fifth win in their last six outings.

Their World Cup campaign begins against Lebanon in Warrington before travelling to face Jamaica in Hull and finally Ireland in Leeds. The expectation is that they finish atop Group C quite comfortably.

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The squad that they churned out for their midseason clash with Tonga will look largely similar to their first-choice World Cup 17.

Roosters star Joseph Manu is expected to wear the fullback jersey despite suffering a season-ending calf strain with Canberra’s Jordan Rapana and Cronulla’s Ronaldo Mulitalo likely to keep their spots on their respective flanks.

Parramatta’s Marata Niukore and North Queensland’s Peta Hiku lined up for the Kiwis in the centres for their win over Tonga and will likely be relied upon once more although Canberra standout Matt Timoko may come into the fray after a terrific past two months with Niukore also an option in the forwards.

Their depths options are far from shabby also; Te Maire Martin had a fine comeback season as Brisbane’s fullback and could be an option there if head coach Michael Maguire opts to play Manu in his usual centre position, whilst former-skipper Dallin Watene-Zelezniak and Wests Tigers veteran Ken Maumalo also present as options along with Parramatta’s Bailey Simonsson, Canberra’s Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad, and Manly’s Morgan Harper. Melbourne’s Reimis Smith is expected to miss the tournament as he recovers from a long-term pectoral injury.

Stars Dylan Brown and Jahrome Hughes will form a deadly halves-pairing with Brandon Smith again expected to wear the nine jumper.

Their middle forwards stocks are probably the strongest in world rugby league with Canberra’s Joseph Tapine, Penrith’s James Fisher-Harris and Moses Leota, Melbourne’s Nelson Asofa-Solomona and Jesse Bromwich and Sydney’s Jared Waerea-Hargreaves set to make up a fearsome middle rotation. Warriors skipper Tohu Harris has not made himself available for the Kiwis since 2016 but would be a welcome boost should he choose to don the black-and-white jumper once more.

Their edge forwards stocks are similarly strong with Parramatta’s Isaiah Papali’i, Cronulla’s Briton Nikora, Melbourne’s Kenny Bromwich and Brisbane’s Jordan Riki among the names jostling for minutes.

Penrith’s Scott Sorensen, North Queensland’s Griffin Neame, Gold Coast’s Erin Clark and Isaac Liu, Cronulla’s Braden Hamlin-Uele and Canberra’s Corey Harawira-Naera all offer solid depth options as well.

The 14 jumper will be another hotly contested position; Kieran Foran wore it in their midseason win over Tonga, however, Maguire may prefer the versatility of a Martin, Nicoll-Klokstad, or Clark with the likes of Jeremy Marshall-King, Kodi Nikorima, and Shaun Johnson also potential squad-members.

The New Zealanders will travel across to the UK with genuine title aspirations as they aim to replicate the dream run of their 2008 predecessors.

A likely semi-final clash against the Australians in Leeds may prove the match of the tournament with the winner expected to face the best of England, Tonga, and Sāmoa for a shot at world rugby league’s biggest prize.

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