Little Kodi Nikorima the Kiwis’ big utility factor
HE might be as small as they come in terms of stature, but he’s as big as they get in terms of impact, Kodi Nikorima.
Walking amongst the land of modern-day monsters, the wee Kiwis utility looms as a crucial part of the New Zealand team’s armoury for their World Cup campaign, which kicks off next weekend.
Just where the 23-year-old will slot in to the side remains up in the air, but it’s that ability to cover any number of spots, and provide electric spark in doing so, that has his presence as key.
Having just completed a third NRL season with the Broncos, Nikorima’s versatility has been on show this year, having been a competent interchange hooker in times gone by.
When Ben Hunt was sidelined with injury Nikorima took the reins at halfback and led the side to five wins in a row, scoring four tries in the process. Stints at fullback also came, and in the finals series he went from bench, to fullback, to halfback, in successive weeks.
And already in his five-test career Nikorima’s been used to being thrown round the place too – his debut on the 2015 tour to Eng- land seeing him come off the bench in the first test, before playing the second and third games as the starting No 7.
In the 2016 mid-year test he moved into a surprise starting five-eighth role, while in this year’s corresponding fixture – his first under new coach David Kidwell – he deputised at hooker for the now out-of-favour Issac Luke.
With Shaun Johnson the lockin for New Zealand’s halfback duties and Kieran Foran injured, there remains a spot at five-eighth to contest, which Nikorima could just as easily slip his 174cm, 84kg frame into.
But Te Maire Martin’s exquisite late-season form for the Cowboys may well see him have the inside running, while the experienced Thomas Leuluai is shaping as the first-choice hooking option, ahead of the uncapped Danny Levi, despite playing halfback for Wigan.
It leaves Nikorima with a battle on his hands as he aims earn a starting spot, but at the same time it presents him with an ideal role to fill for David Kidwell as the Kiwis’ little-man bench player.
‘‘He hasn’t spoken to me just yet about what position I’ll be playing, but I’m open-minded to any,’’ Nikorima said.
‘‘No matter what I number I’ve got on my back I’ll be going out there giving it my all.
‘‘Obviously it’ll mean a lot to me, or I’ll take it more personal if I do get a starting role, and no doubt I won’t be shy to bark orders.’’
Another man not shy on barking orders at his first training session with the team was new assistant coach Ben Gardiner, who only arrived in camp late Wednesday night as a replacement for Garth Brennan, who landed the Titans’ job.
And for Nikorima, it’s not just the coaches inside the Kiwis camp who are going to be keeping a close eye on him during the tournament, with his Broncos mentor Wayne Bennett – the man who helped guide New Zealand to their one and only World Cup success in 2008 – ready to offer advice, despite also taking charge of England.
‘‘Obviously having Wayne as a coach has been pretty handy for me and I’ve definitely learnt a lot,’’ Nikorima said. ‘‘He said he wasn’t going to talk to me when we play England, but [when we play] other teams, feel free to call. I told him that he can call me whenever he wants too. He told me he’d be watching my games, so I’ll be looking forward to hearing from him afterwards.’’