Key Kiwis questions answered

The Kiwis are through to the semifinals of the Rugby League World Cup.

They defeated Fiji 24-18 in the quarterfinals last weekend, while Australia progressed to the final four by beating Lebanon 48-4.

Ahead of Saturday’s semifinal (NZ time) in Leeds, here are the answers to five key questions.

The Kiwis haven’t lit up the World Cup with their form. Is that a worry?

It is slightly concerning. The pool stage of this World Cup was pretty meaningless as the Kiwis were never going to lose to Lebanon, Jamaica or Ireland, but things should have been clicking against Fiji in the quarterfinals.

The middle forwards didn’t dominate as much as expected, while Dylan Brown and Jahrome Hughes struggled to take control of the game in the halves.

It took Joey Manu to produce the moment of magic and a fortunate TMO decision to see off the Fijians.

In Manu the Kiwis have got a fullback who’s perhaps been the best player at this World Cup so far, despite the Australian media talking up James Tedesco and Josh Addo-Carr.

It’s likely Jared Waerea-Hargreaves will be in the team against Australia. Is he too much of a liability?

It is a risk playing him, but the Kiwis can’t afford to be without him.

He’ll bring with him a physicality that the Kangaroos forwards will struggle to handle.

It’s also concerning that the referee for this game is the same Ashley Klein who sinbinned seven players, including Waerea-Hargreaves, when the Roosters played the Rabbitohs in this year’s NRL playoffs.

Waerea-Hargreaves is aware that he’s got to stay on the right side of Klein, while still bringing that physicality to the game. He’ll be walking a fine line.

Where do the kiwis have the edge over the Kangaroos?

It should be up front. With Waerea-Hargreaves, Nelson Asofa-Solomona and James FisherHarris playing prop, the Kiwis have three of the best in the world.

Jake Trbojevic, Tino Fa’asuamaleaui and Patrick Carrigan are good players, but not in the same league as the Kiwis props.

What happens if the Kiwis lose?

They head home, as there’s no bronze final in this World Cup.

A semifinal defeat would almost certainly spell the end of Michael Maguire’s time as the Kiwis’ head coach, even though it wouldn’t be a disgrace to lose to the Kangaroos and he’s done a magnificent job in rebuilding the Kiwis after the shambles following the 2017 World Cup.

There could be a groundswell of opinion that the job should go to a New Zealander, with Stacey Jones the obvious candidate.

What happens if they win?

They’ll likely play England in the final.