Blair: Shock World Cup defeat ‘not a negative’
Kiwis coach David Kidwell must fall on his sword in the wake of the Kiwis’ disastrous Rugby League World Cup campaign that ended in a stunningly inept and embarrassing quarter-final loss to Fiji last night.
The Kiwis’ response to last week’s shock 28-22 loss to Tonga was woeful, with a lack of cohesion, direction and accuracy, and a plethora of unforced errors consigning them to an unthinkable second straight loss to a secondtier team.
After declaring the defeat at Waikato Stadium a “blessing in disguise”, Kidwell can no longer look on the bright side. His record makes for ugly reading, with the Kiwis having recorded just three wins in 10 tests under his guidance.
One of those was a less than emphatic 17-16 win over England during last year’s failed Four Nations campaign that also saw the Kiwis draw with Scotland, while one-sided World Cup victories over Samoa and the Bravehearts failed to gloss over their four losses to Australia.
The New Zealand Rugby League’s lack of wisdom in appointing a coach with no first grade coaching experience has been brutally exposed, with Kidwell’s side showing a lack of grit and tactical nous when it mattered.
Alarm bells were ringing after former test captain Jesse Bromwich and back rower Kevin Proctor were caught up in a cocaine scandal following the Anzac test in Canberra in May and Kidwell has been unable to redeem himself after losing a grip on Kiwis captain Adam Blair last night described the 4-2 loss to Fiji, which ousted his side from the quarter-finals of the Rugby League World Cup, as “not a negative”.
Blair was interviewed by Sky Sport’s Monty Betham in the immediate aftermath of the maiden meeting between the sides at a poorlyattended Westpac Stadium in Wellington.
“[We] have to go back and reflect on what we’ve done in the tournament,” Blair said.
“It’s not a negative for us. We’re going to build something here and we’ve got some great young talent coming through.”
Blair preferred to give credit to Fiji. “It was do or die for both teams who put it on the line. Our boys turned up, worked together as a group, and in the end a couple of this campaign.
The fact he is a New Zealander and a passionate former test player was supposed to foster and improve the team’s culture but huge doubts hang over his ability to inspire his players.
Against Fiji, halfback Shaun Johnson, young five-eighth Te Maire Martin and fullback Roger Tuivasa-Sheck looked frustrated and low on confidence behind a big-name forward pack that failed to produce.
Kidwell’s grand vision for the side to play expansive “Kiwis-style footy” looked reasonably effective against sub-par opposition but both Tonga and Fiji exposed the frailties in those plans with simple but effective hard running and tackling.
The past week has shown the Kiwis unwilling to face reality, with Blair unbelievably claiming postmatch that the result was somehow not a negative.
The tendency to brush aside glaring concerns and defiantly insist everything is going well only infuriates long-suffering Kiwis fans who are left with few honest answers to explain the team’s downward spiral. penalties put them in front.”
Betham asked him what their strategy was coming in.
“Be us,” Blair said. “Play our way. They were tough, resilient and played for the 80 [minutes]. You’ve got to give credit to everyone on the field. It was a great game to watch.”
When the coverage returned to the studio, former Kiwis coach Brian McClennan offered his view.
“I’m surprised by how Blairy talked at the end there — it’s bizarre.
“I know Blairy. He’s just got it wrong — whoever’s teaching him this, you’ve got it wrong — you’ve got to wear your heart on your sleeve all the time, you’re representing your country.”
Fijian captain Kevin Naiqama said the victory was indescribable.
“I had the utmost belief when we went into camp that we could win this game. We’re going all the way.” Tonga are expecting a sea of red to greet them at Mt Smart Stadium for their Rugby League World Cup semifinal in Auckland next Saturday.
The fairy tale team of the tournament continued their run with a 24-22 quarter-final victory over Lebanon in Christchurch yesterday.
They didn’t have it all their own way despite being the heavy favourites but they ground out the result to ensure a semifinal spot.
Tonga will meet either England or Papua New Guinea in what will feel like a Tongan home game given the Pacific presence in Auckland.
“I don’t know what Mt Smart holds but it’s got to be 25,000 to 30,000 and I reckon there’s going to be 25,000 to 30,000 Tongans,” said Tongan coach Kristian Woolf. “We want to encourage everyone to get there and that’s going to be outstanding.”
The Tongan Prime Minister was at